I Don’t Typically Do This

by Martin Gordon

Subterranean

I have a bit of a fascination with all things subterranean, most likely as a result of an obsession with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and from growing up in South Florida, where digging a few feet results in striking water. Having been car-ridden for most of my adult life, I’m also quite jealous of people who spend their commutes underground.

I have spent more time than I’d like to admit reading about the history of the London Underground map, studying an amazing redesign of the MTA map, and reading about various systems of underground tunnels in New York and Philly.

What I have been looking for, but have been unable to find, is a cross sectional subway map, an expanded version of this infographic, but focusing on the subway. Taking New York as an example, I’d like to see something like a diagram of 6th Avenue all the way from Lower Manhattan up to Central Park South. The map would show me any elevation changes in the tunnels of the various lines, and at what elevation each line crosses another, with little diagrams showing me cross sections of each of the stops.

I hope something like this exists out there, but if not, I might have to go out and make it myself.