Every driver in North America shares one miserable, soul-sucking universal experience—being stuck in traffic. But things weren't always this way. What if I told you that our cities once had ambitious transit plans that could have saved us from today's gridlock?
In this captivating cartographic guide, artist and cartographer Jake Berman invites us to explore the forgotten transit histories of twenty-three North American metropolises. Using meticulous archival research, Berman has reconstructed maps of old train networks that once connected our cities, from New York City's Civil War-era plan for a steam-powered subway under Fifth Avenue to the thousand-mile electric railway system of pre-World War II Los Angeles.
This isn't just a collection of old subway diagrams—it's a visual time machine that transports you through decades of urban planning decisions, political battles, and cultural shifts. Each city's section includes thoughtful essays that explain how and why these transit systems were built, abandoned, or never realized in the first place.
With over one hundred original maps rendered in vintage styling but printed with modern technology, the book creates a sweeping visual history of North American public transit. You'll trace the colorful paths of forgotten streetcar lines, marvel at ambitious but unbuilt transit concepts, and see how today's rail systems fit into the grander picture of urban development.
Whether you're a transit enthusiast, a city planner, or just someone who's ever wondered why your city's traffic is so terrible, this book offers fascinating insights. It's the perfect companion for anyone who loves to look at the world through a lens of 'what if' and appreciates the stories hidden in plain sight on our city streets.
