alt Hacker NewsHmm. Is this why rail maps tend to look like circuit traces?
It’d kind of make sense for the operator status map to look like the map you hand out, or put in stations. The design is an abstraction good enough for understanding switching status for operators, why not for riders trying to get to Manhattan Beach?
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stefanfisk • today at 7:20 AM
Modern rail maps are inspired by electrical schematics. But the reason for their popularity is that they are generally easier to navigate.
https://www.londonmuseum.org.uk/collections/london-stories/h...
The maps the operators use in the UK still look like digital versions of these control panels. Sometimes they're visible on screens in stations.
In fact, there's a live online version: https://www.opentraintimes.com/maps/signalling/tl-lbg-1