Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with maps and nyc

Sisyphus Looks for a Hill

Oddly — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 20:31:02 -0800

In preparation for this event on Memorial Day weekend, I'm looking for a good hill or set of stairs to train on. Problem is, I live in Queens. I make it up to the Catskills as much as I can, but am really itching for something closer for evening runs. The best place I've found within the borough are the stairs/paths around Astoria Park. Any local MeFites know of other accessible/public options? Bonus points for map links. Thanks all.

Where are the NYC bus stops listed?

Caviar — Fri, 06 Jan 2006 11:48:39 -0800

NYC bus stops. Where are they? I've looked at the MTA maps and schedules, but they don't seem to list the actual stops anywhere. The schedules have a few stops listed with timelines, and the maps just show the routes without showing which corners the buses stop at, typically just the places you can transfer to another bus or subway. Am I missing something? Is there any way to figure out if the bus stops where I need to go?

It needn't be down to the level of "which corner", or even precise blocks - I'd settle for a 2-block radius.

Is this information obtainable somewhere (online preferably)? All five boroughs, not just Manhattan.

Seeking Free Digital Sanborns of Long Island City Pennsylvania Railroad Power House and Glenwood Power Plant

plemeljr — Thu, 27 Jan 2005 13:58:46 -0800

DigitalSanbornFilter - I need to get my hands on some NYC digital sanborn maps [m to the i] OK, so I am doing some personal research on two old powerplants in the NYC area: Long Island City Pennsylvania Railroad Power House and Glenwood Power Plant (self links). I want a series of Sanborn images for the two sites throughout the 19th century and up to the present day. As you can see from the links, the project is non-commercial in nature (and is basically for knowledge sakes) and not something I really want to spend money on Sanborns. The NYPL doesn't seem to allow acces to the digital sanborns - only print. Does anyone know where you can get free digital sanborns? Or if anyone has an account and can help out an ameteur historian? Also, if anyone has any information about those sites, email me (in profile). Thanks.

Skyscraper Oddities

b1tr0t — Sun, 17 Oct 2004 11:43:40 -0800

In the late '90s, I went up to the top of the world trade center several times. One of the more unusual things I noticed was a first world war era biplane sitting on top of a building. I've recently tried to find more information on the unusual decoration and am coming up short. A number of pages reference a Sopwith Camel sitting on top of 77 water street. The yahoo map location for 77 water street seems too close to the water to match my memory. I though the plane was in the middle of a cluster of buildings.

Are there multiple decorative planes on top of buildings in lower manhattan (not counting helipads)? What other hidden oddities lurk on top of the world's skyscrapers? If anyone can point me to a picture to the *top* of 77 Water Street, including the biplane, that would be really cool.