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matt plays subway builder

@subways.pahuski.com

Building a new system for Philadelphia and beyond. All aboard! Trains here. Main feed: @m.pahuski.com

5 Followers  |  5 Following  |  23 Posts  |  Joined: 31.10.2025  |  2.0388

Latest posts by subways.pahuski.com on Bluesky

Subway Builder screenshot showing current lines recreating the SETPA D1/D2 (aka 101/102) trolleys, with 69th St Transit Center in the foreground. The line from Girard now connects to 69th as well.

Subway Builder screenshot showing current lines recreating the SETPA D1/D2 (aka 101/102) trolleys, with 69th St Transit Center in the foreground. The line from Girard now connects to 69th as well.

got the full route done. no through-routing possibility at the moment, but it would be very easy to unite the 101/102 and the Girard Avenue line. next up will be squeezing in the NHSL

16.11.2025 19:50 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Lots of great opportunities for through routes if I can plan it out right. Might go back and four-track the line down Market Street to expand the options

15.11.2025 21:47 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Subway Builder screenshot of the area around and to the west of 69th Street Transit Center in Upper Darby, just outside of Philadelphia. The real-life D1/D2 SEPTA services are recreated, and a line mirroring the Girard trolley is being extended out to 69th Street terminal as well.

Subway Builder screenshot of the area around and to the west of 69th Street Transit Center in Upper Darby, just outside of Philadelphia. The real-life D1/D2 SEPTA services are recreated, and a line mirroring the Girard trolley is being extended out to 69th Street terminal as well.

This afternoon: finally getting around to the Red Arrow trolleys, then figured it might be worth it to also extend the Girard el to 69th, too. Need to plan everything out well because the Norristown High Speed Line also has to fit in. Also thinking about the old Red Arrow Route 104 to West Chester.

15.11.2025 21:44 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
same perspective as above showing route along the Callowhill Cut into the Delaware Valley Terminal, which is in the place of Reading Terminal

same perspective as above showing route along the Callowhill Cut into the Delaware Valley Terminal, which is in the place of Reading Terminal

9 is the full route, 4 is the old Chestnut Hill West to Center City via the Callowhill Cut route (now cut back to Mon-Sat daytime service, Broad-Ridge Spur sort of hours)

12.11.2025 16:59 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
Subway Builder screenshot on Center City Philadelphia, showing lines which mirror the real-life SEPTA Center City Commuter Connection

Subway Builder screenshot on Center City Philadelphia, showing lines which mirror the real-life SEPTA Center City Commuter Connection

Subway Builder screenshot, showing a line extending from Pennsylvania Avenue, going under Logan Square, City Hall, and eastward, then going south. The line it breaks off can be seen continuing down the Callowhill cut to the Delaware Valley Terminal, which is in the location of Reading Terminal

Subway Builder screenshot, showing a line extending from Pennsylvania Avenue, going under Logan Square, City Hall, and eastward, then going south. The line it breaks off can be seen continuing down the Callowhill cut to the Delaware Valley Terminal, which is in the location of Reading Terminal

In addition to the Center City tunnel that copies the real thing, there's now a mirror version. The new crosstown route is Chestnut Hill West to the Sports Complex via 29th Street and Delaware Ave

12.11.2025 16:50 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Subway Builder screenshot showing a roughly similar scheme to the rail tunnel in Center City Philadelphia that united the Pennsylvania Railroad and Reading Company commuter systems, now the backbone of SEPTA Regional Rail

Subway Builder screenshot showing a roughly similar scheme to the rail tunnel in Center City Philadelphia that united the Pennsylvania Railroad and Reading Company commuter systems, now the backbone of SEPTA Regional Rail

got around to building a version of the Center City tunnel and produced two more crosstown routes. might keep the weird terminals around for rush hour overflow service.

12.11.2025 04:04 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
v0.8.0 2025-11-04 New Feature Ocean/river floor elevations for additional real-world costs and constraints to construction (East Coast only for now) New Feature Bonds/loans to help early-game New Feature Road labels New Feature Custom map colors

v0.8.0 2025-11-04 New Feature Ocean/river floor elevations for additional real-world costs and constraints to construction (East Coast only for now) New Feature Bonds/loans to help early-game New Feature Road labels New Feature Custom map colors

Hell yeah, road labels! They look great. Kind of got scared about the river depth constraints, but none of my crossings violated the rules.

04.11.2025 17:11 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
Subway Builder screenshot looking down at South Philadelphia from the southeast, showing four lines in to the sports complex: the Broad Street line, my previous new lines down 25th and Delaware Ave, and a new 7th St Subway in green

Subway Builder screenshot looking down at South Philadelphia from the southeast, showing four lines in to the sports complex: the Broad Street line, my previous new lines down 25th and Delaware Ave, and a new 7th St Subway in green

Haven't figured out exactly where it's going north of Girard (maybe Fox Chase?) but why not another subway for South Philly? Think of the easy access to cannoli

03.11.2025 21:20 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
Detail of line into downtown Camden. A four track line starts at the waterfront down modern MLK Blvd past the current PATCO Broadway station/Walter Rand Transportation Center. After this, the line splits into branches which follow the NJT River line to the north and US 30 to the south

Detail of line into downtown Camden. A four track line starts at the waterfront down modern MLK Blvd past the current PATCO Broadway station/Walter Rand Transportation Center. After this, the line splits into branches which follow the NJT River line to the north and US 30 to the south

Branches will recreate the modern NJT River Line, plus one that runs up the Marlton Pike through the Cherry Hill and Moorestown Malls, then to Mount Laurel Township.

01.11.2025 18:12 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
overview of residential demand for South Jersey showing large pockets of unserved people north of the PATCO, especially in areas like Pennsauken, Cherry Hill, and Marlton

overview of residential demand for South Jersey showing large pockets of unserved people north of the PATCO, especially in areas like Pennsauken, Cherry Hill, and Marlton

the same perspective but with business demand, showing notable hot spots around Pennsauken, the Cherry Hill and Moorestown malls, as well as Mount Laurel and along the NJ Turnpike

the same perspective but with business demand, showing notable hot spots around Pennsauken, the Cherry Hill and Moorestown malls, as well as Mount Laurel and along the NJ Turnpike

South Jersey is calling to me. Or is that just a craving for pork roll?

01.11.2025 17:39 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Video thumbnail

some zen for your Saturday afternoon

🎶"A Place in the Sun" - Casiopea

01.11.2025 17:10 — 👍 0    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
Map of the 1926 Sesqui-Centennial International Exposition, showing the current FDR Park and site of the sports complex. JFK Stadium (not yet named that, of course) can be seen as well as other bits of the fair complex)

Map of the 1926 Sesqui-Centennial International Exposition, showing the current FDR Park and site of the sports complex. JFK Stadium (not yet named that, of course) can be seen as well as other bits of the fair complex)

The future Spectrum site was the trolley station for the Sesquicentennial Expo. I've been exploring the idea of another South Philly subway routing as if built mid-20s, this would be a natural terminus. Would give a bit of Penn Station/MSG flavor to the alternate history Spectrum.

01.11.2025 16:47 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
close up of final routing into the Sports Complex, showing the station much closer to Broad Street than before, snaking more or less fully around the parking lots before ending just over Pattison, at the side of the Spectrum site.

close up of final routing into the Sports Complex, showing the station much closer to Broad Street than before, snaking more or less fully around the parking lots before ending just over Pattison, at the side of the Spectrum site.

Here's the final alignment I'm going with for this. Imagined as if this were built around 1970-80s, during the brief US transit boom that gave us WMATA, MARTA, etc. The line came in over I-76, around Veterans Stadium, before terminating at an elevated complex next to the Spectrum and JFK Stadium.

01.11.2025 16:40 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
before shot showing sweeping curves as the line takes advantage of the ample empty land around I-76, the Walt Whitman Bridge toll plaza, and the stadium parking lots

before shot showing sweeping curves as the line takes advantage of the ample empty land around I-76, the Walt Whitman Bridge toll plaza, and the stadium parking lots

the same map of the line's final approach into the stadium complex, but with tighter curves and straighter lines, and hugging Packer Ave and the street network in other places

the same map of the line's final approach into the stadium complex, but with tighter curves and straighter lines, and hugging Packer Ave and the street network in other places

A 1933 zoning map showing the same section of south Philadelphia. The interstates are noticeably missing and a street grid fills out the section currently occupied by stadiums and lots

A 1933 zoning map showing the same section of south Philadelphia. The interstates are noticeably missing and a street grid fills out the section currently occupied by stadiums and lots

the subway map showing South Philadelphia with the route described: from Delaware Ave south to Swanson, west along Oregon to 10th and south, with another option that goes around Marconi Plaza and south down Broad Street

the subway map showing South Philadelphia with the route described: from Delaware Ave south to Swanson, west along Oregon to 10th and south, with another option that goes around Marconi Plaza and south down Broad Street

Rerouted the final approach to be more friendly to future buildings being added. Would be interesting to pull up old maps and rebuild the line as if it were built around the same time as JFK Stadium with the pre-I-76 constraints (presumably that would just be straight down Oregon to 10th or Broad)

01.11.2025 14:46 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 1
Subway Builder screenshot. Route Details for Delaware Avenue 7 train, showing stops at Market East, 8th/Market, 2nd/Market, Spruce Street Harbor Park, Catharine, Washington, Morris, Snyder, Front Street, Whitman Plaza, and Sports Complex

Subway Builder screenshot. Route Details for Delaware Avenue 7 train, showing stops at Market East, 8th/Market, 2nd/Market, Spruce Street Harbor Park, Catharine, Washington, Morris, Snyder, Front Street, Whitman Plaza, and Sports Complex

screenshot showing a route that links the airport line to the Delaware Avenue line, which links South Philly and the airport by a very circuitous route

screenshot showing a route that links the airport line to the Delaware Avenue line, which links South Philly and the airport by a very circuitous route

The Airport Line terminal platform at Market East had a spare track, so I terminated it there to maximize transfers for now. Appropriately for Halloween night, this sets up the possibility of an extremely cursed one-seat South Philly to airport route.

01.11.2025 01:36 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Subway Builder screenshot showing South Philadelphia Sports Complex. In additional to the real SEPTA BSL station, there is another station coming along Pattison from the west, and a line coming in from Oregon Ave/Delaware Ave to the north. The service on the new Delaware Avenue line is the 7, with the route bullet colored the same shade of purple as the real MTA 7 train in New York

Subway Builder screenshot showing South Philadelphia Sports Complex. In additional to the real SEPTA BSL station, there is another station coming along Pattison from the west, and a line coming in from Oregon Ave/Delaware Ave to the north. The service on the new Delaware Avenue line is the 7, with the route bullet colored the same shade of purple as the real MTA 7 train in New York

not sure if Phillies fans or Mets fans will be more upset about the temporary route branding that I've decided on until I figure out where to send this line

01.11.2025 00:50 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Subway Builder screenshot showing a line running along the Delaware river, before turning near the Ikea down Oregon for a bit, then south toward the stadiums

Subway Builder screenshot showing a line running along the Delaware river, before turning near the Ikea down Oregon for a bit, then south toward the stadiums

still have some things to decide, but the Delaware Avenue elevated is coming to life

01.11.2025 00:25 — 👍 2    🔁 1    💬 1    📌 1
Four examples of station signs. Each is a long, wide rectangle with a medium grey background and white text. The standard example in each pair has, on the left, a dark grey tab and three stripes colored red-white-blue, followed by "Temple University" or "37th & Spruce-Penn". On the right, two brown circles with numbers 4 and 5 in white text for Temple, for Penn two green circles with 1 & 2 and a silver circle with an airplane. The custom pair tweaks the stripe colors: dark red-silver-white for Temple, and dark red-white-navy for Penn

Four examples of station signs. Each is a long, wide rectangle with a medium grey background and white text. The standard example in each pair has, on the left, a dark grey tab and three stripes colored red-white-blue, followed by "Temple University" or "37th & Spruce-Penn". On the right, two brown circles with numbers 4 and 5 in white text for Temple, for Penn two green circles with 1 & 2 and a silver circle with an airplane. The custom pair tweaks the stripe colors: dark red-silver-white for Temple, and dark red-white-navy for Penn

One thing I like about this is that by having a standard stripe on the signage template, you can tweak it for special stations. Here's an example for Temple, while the effect with Penn is a bit subtler due to the color similarity.

31.10.2025 23:39 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
A long, wide rectangle with a medium grey background and white text. On the left, a dark grey tab and three stripes colored red-white-blue, followed by "9th & Spring Garden". On the right, two brown circles with numbers 4 and 5 in white text.

A long, wide rectangle with a medium grey background and white text. On the left, a dark grey tab and three stripes colored red-white-blue, followed by "9th & Spring Garden". On the right, two brown circles with numbers 4 and 5 in white text.

Inspired by the Chicago 'L' bicentennial scheme and the upcoming semiquincentennial, I think we have to go red-white-blue on the stripes. Line bullets move all the way to the right.

31.10.2025 20:06 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Seven copies of the same station sign with slightly different color schemes. Each sign is a long, wide rectangle with a medium grey background and white text. On the left, a dark grey tab and three colored slanted stripes, followed by "Market East" and the following line bullets: green circles with 1 and 2, brown circles with 4 and 5, and a silver circle with an airplane icon. The slanted stripes have the following color schemes top to bottom: grey to white gradient, dark to light blue gradient, dark red to orange gradient, green gradient, purple-magenta-orange (the NJ Transit stripe colors), purple-indigo-light blue, and green-brown-silver (to match the line bullets)

Seven copies of the same station sign with slightly different color schemes. Each sign is a long, wide rectangle with a medium grey background and white text. On the left, a dark grey tab and three colored slanted stripes, followed by "Market East" and the following line bullets: green circles with 1 and 2, brown circles with 4 and 5, and a silver circle with an airplane icon. The slanted stripes have the following color schemes top to bottom: grey to white gradient, dark to light blue gradient, dark red to orange gradient, green gradient, purple-magenta-orange (the NJ Transit stripe colors), purple-indigo-light blue, and green-brown-silver (to match the line bullets)

Rough signage concept for stations on circle/number lines. Stripes inspired by NJ Transit (as seen by one color scheme option). In the universe of this save, these lines will be part of a private competitor to the city-owned Philadelphia Municipal Transit Co., but I haven't yet thought up a name.

31.10.2025 19:23 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

As in real life, Spring Garden on the Ridge spur is abandoned. Can't zoom in enough to see the graffiti, but you can assume that it's there.

31.10.2025 16:47 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

You can get up to speed with everything so far on this thread:

31.10.2025 16:00 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
Screenshot of Subway Builder showing an overhead view of a variation on the modern Philadelphia rail transit network.

Screenshot of Subway Builder showing an overhead view of a variation on the modern Philadelphia rail transit network.

Welcome to my dedicated Subway Builder feed! Come along for the ride as I recreate, enhance, and play around with the Philadelphia transit network and beyond.

31.10.2025 15:57 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 1

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