Template talk:List of New York City Subway services/graphical timeline

Source of info
Giving credit where it is due, the table is mostly based on work by, I just recreated it using EasyTimeline. Additional dates are from http://www.nycsubway.org/faq/subway-markers.html. If there is any problems with this, and are not sure how EasyTimeline works, feel free to message me.--Svgalbertian (talk) 03:41, 14 February 2011 (UTC)

1967 Black colors (and others)
The 'black' on the 1967 Vignelli/Noorda/Unimark color scheme for the subway lines (5, B, LL, QJ/J and SS Lenox Shuttle pre-1968), carried over to the 1979 color scheme (initially for the S shuttles, before the % grey formula for that and L was ushered in), was not PMS Black as

value:rgb(0.16471,0.14902,0.13725)

but rather PMS Process Black as

value:rgb(0.11765,0.11765,0.11765)

This was confirmed in a photo of a paper of PMS colors associated with certain subway line colors in an obituary of Michael Hertz who had a hand in the design of the map which ushered in the 1979 color scheme:

https://secondavenuesagas.com/2020/03/06/influential-subway-map-designer-michael-hertz-passes-away-at-87/

(if Process Black was recommended in 1979, it would also have been in 1967)

As early as 1972, PMS 116 U would be used to print the yellow routes (then 6 and N), and PMS 401:

value:rgb(0.71373,0.69412,0.66275)

was used on an alternating basis with the black for the black colored routes, in cases where any of the routes were on a black background.

In addition, having the second Vignelli map, it would appear that PMS 311 was used for the light blue lines (3, 8, E, M, NX and SS 42nd Street Shuttle pre-1968):

value:rgb(0.04706,0.77647,0.87059)

(this detail is important as the shade of blue on the JFK Express which used PMS 312 was a shade darker than those light-blue routes)

and PMS 355 for the green routes (CC, GG, RR, SS; plus the proposed but never placed in service MM Sixth-Myrtle Avenue line):

value:rgb(0.00000,0.60784,0.22745)

as they also were on the 1967-70 maps.

I've noticed a confusion between 354 and 355 over the years in terms of printing subway maps; as the 1979 map was printed on uncoated stock, they used PMS 116 U for N, QB, RR, PMS 354 U for 4, 5 and 6, and PMS 375 U for GG - three colors varied from what John Tauranac recommended and what was on that pic referred to in the Hertz obituary. (I have Pantone swatches of the same vintage as these maps, so I know whereof I speak.)

‒ Wbwn (talk) 18:46, 13 July 2024 (UTC)