InsideTransit

There have been loads of people who have created alternative NYC subway maps over the years.  Kriston Lewis has put together one of the best looking and functional maps I’ve seen to-date. The lines are clearly noted, bus transfers are included on the main points, and it’s easier to follow than the current MTA subway map.

Click the graphic below to download the map – note that it’s a PDF file and is 80″x80″ in size.

If you are planning to visit Tokyo and ride the subway there, below is a quick video on how to purchase a subway ticket. Some of the machines will allow you to switch to English but the machine is very easy to use. Just put in your bills (in Yen), select the price for the metro ticket you need and it will print below plus return any change.

Here are a couple videos that will help you with your purchase. Apparently if you select English, the machine announces that you have selected English.

Found via Subchat, here’s a very old NYC subway commercial that’s related to the World’s Fair. The idea was to get people to take the subway to the WF instead of other forms of transportation. Look how clean the subway cars are and how happy everyone looks.

StationStops first launched their iPhone app last October in the iPhone App Store. The app costs $1.99 and is a simple timetable for the Metro North RailRoad in NYC. You can easily find out what time the next train will be arriving at your station. It’s an easy way to maximize your time at a location because you will know exactly what the train schedule is for that station and you can adjust accordingly. The app also displays the fares for the specific train.

Creator Chris notes, “when I first started riding Metro-North, I was surprised at how awkward it was to get access to the schedule wherever you were at the time – which all too commonly was on a train, on the subway, or otherwise underground.”

What’s neat is that the schedules are downloaded to the iPhone so you don’t need to access the Internet to use the application.

I’ve been a BVE train simulator junkie for years. Sadly BVE does not work on the Microsoft Vista OS so my time driving the various routes has been non-existant the past few months. It’s certainly disappointing because there are so many passengers that are stuck on subway and train platforms just waiting for me to come pick them up and get them to their destinations!

Now I”ve learned that there is a new simulator coming soon named “World of Subways 2″ which looks freaking awesome. The trains are very realistic as is the movement and the stations. The example below is from the Berlin subway system and is so close to real, you can’t tell that you aren’t in Berlin! They even have real announcements on the subway along with flashing lights when the doors are closing. The trains look just like I remember them from my trip to Berlin.

Here’s an article discussing the U-Bahn-Simulator (it’s in German).

Here’s a sample of what the simulator will look like: