What an amazing technology, it's really a shame there's not a current version. Maybe given the original paper's algorithm and the OSM dataset we could recreate

What an amazing technology, it's really a shame there's not a current version. Maybe given the original paper's algorithm and the OSM dataset we could recreate it? I think this would be particularly useful for transit and other multi-modal trip maps. A Mercator might be mildly useful for driving (though as your link points out, not so obviously useful that it should be the only option), but there's really not much of a reason you need that for a bus or train trip. Individual bus or train lines very frequently have published maps in this style, and many subway system maps are reminiscent of it.