Rail lines - colors vs. numbers/letters

[botticelli]

I am fine with either colour or number, although I think number makes more sense. Like someone said, some cities have many lines and eventually you run out of highly distinguishable colours.

For example, Shanghai currently has 12 lines, with multiple (at least 5) under construction. They use numbers along with unofficial colour pattern as well. Do you see how line 8 and 9, 1 and 6 are highly similar? It is easy to make mistakes even for non-colour blind people, especially when in a hurry.

Shanghai Metro

You know what is horrible? Toronto has this subway line called "Yonge-University-Spadina line", a name as retarded as it gets. Half of the line is called "the Spadina line" when only two stops are on a street called Spadina ave.

[munchitup]

Originally Posted by KaaBoom

What I don't understand about LA, is why have they assigned colors to BRT? BRT is just bus routes, They should be given a number, like any other bus route. You can give it a color like a rail line, but it's still just a bus route. You are not fooling anyone.

The Orange and Silver lines should be 801 and 802. Then they would have two more colors for future rail lines.

Eh I get why they give the Orange Line a color. It'll probably be LRT soon enough anyways. I agree about the Silver Line, it's confusing.

FWIW I believe they do have numbers but no one calls them by that. Boston's BRT is also color coded, coincidentally also as the Silver Line.

[B87]

What's wrong with naming the lines like we do here - with actual names.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by B87

What's wrong with naming the lines like we do here - with actual names.

Descriptive is much better. You have to use it all the time to remember colors or numbers.

[e2ksj3]

Colors if it is less than 10 lines, but anything over that should have letters/numbers like NYC or names like London along with colors.