Day: October 21, 2008

This post originally appeared on Orphan Road.

Here’s a sweet documentary about the development of the London Underground map. The map was something of a revolution because it emphasized clarity over geographical accuracy. One goal was to get people to use the system on evenings and weekends, when it was underutilized. so they made the stations appear equidistant, and released a series of promotional posters, which you may have seen in the Columbia City/Hilltop/74th Street Ale Houses.

(via Confabulum, via Ryan Avent)

This post originally appeared on Orphan Road.

Finally:

The legislation, pushed by New Jersey Democratic Sen. Frank Lautenberg, would allocate $1.6 billion for rail safety, renew and expand the Federal Railroad Administration, and invest nearly $13 billion over the next five years to expand and upgrade passenger rail in the U.S.

Of that $13 billion, Amtrak would get about $1.6 billion a year — $300 million more than what it now receives — for operations and capital projects like replacing tracks and repairing tunnels. States would also receive funding to

$13B over five years is a drop in the bucket, obviously, but it’s a start. Amtrak Cascades should benefit handsomely from this bill.