Dreaming of Rapid Transit

Categories: Local Interest , Travel

Maybe it is those colorful little lines that wind all around, or maybe it is because we don't have a rapid transit system here in Cincinnati.  Whatever the reason, I have always been intrigued by maps of subway systems.  They look so orderly and functional and efficient, so unlike the reality of transportation above ground. 

But, once upon a time, long before I-75 entered our nightmares, a subway system was actually being built in our fair city.  Ironically, whenever one travels south on I-75, the remnants of the subway tunnel can easily be seen, below Central Parkway.  The work was done during the 1920's, but then the funds ran out, and personal automobiles became more affordable, and America became addicted to oil, and you know the rest.  For a history of the project, see The Cincinnati Subway by Allen J. Singer.

For those of us who have traveled on the Metro in Washington DC or the Underground in London, subway systems in other cities hold a certain allure.  Other map geeks like myself might want to take a look at Transit Maps of the World by Mark Ovenden, a colorful guide to underground systems from Tokyo to Cairo. For anyone who might be planning a trip, Google Transit is a handy website that offers maps and directions for public transportation throughout the US and abroad.