graffitti train

[Capt Bob Johnson]

The question is not whether or not we like or approve of graffiti, the question posed is should it be a part of a model railroad?

I don't like grafitti because it costs the property owner funds that could be better used had this slop not been painted on his property against his wishes!

That being said, I'd suspect that there would have been far less of it in pre-WWII days; although there were the hobo chalk markings, particularly in the depression years.

If one is modeling from the late 1950's to today, I'd say that it does have a place on your railroad if you are clever enough to get it right!  After all, you are modeling what you see rolling down the real tracks.

I don't have it yet, but I could well envision it on my unit train coal drag.

[RR Redneck]

I hate graffiti. It is stupid and useless.

[Anonymous]

Historically, the term graffiti originally referred to the inscriptions, figure drawings, etc., found on the walls of ancient sepulchers or ruins, as in the Catacombs of Rome or at Pompeii. Usage of the word has evolved to include any decorations (inscribed on any surface) that one can regard as vandalism; or to cover pictures or writing placed on surfaces, usually external walls and sidewalks, without the permission of an owner. Thus, inscriptions made by the authors of a monument are not classed as graffiti. The first known example of "modern style" graffiti survives in the ancient Greek city of Ephesus (in modern-day Turkey) and appears to advertise prostitution, according to the tour guides of the city. It stands near the long mosaic and stone walkway and consists of a handprint, a vaguely heart-like shape, a footprint and a number. This purportedly indicates how many steps one would have to take to find a lover, with the handprint indicating payment.

[Anonymous]

I recall catching a train from Santa Lucia station in Venice, this is a really beautiful part of the world and sitting there ws a 4 carriage train covered in grafitti, it was such an eyesore. I thnk Italians invented grafitti after all it is an Italian word.

Ian  

[Anonymous]

All I have to say is, it is there on the major RRs so you can paint it or just don't do it. Just don't poop on my train set if I model true to the times and era.

[GP-9_Man11786]

I just wrote an article about a huge graffiti bust here on Long Island that caught nine kids. Those individuals now face misdemeanor and felony charges. You can read it at www.timesofmiddlecountry.com. When I see the damage this does to the comunities my paper covers, I have to agree with Ian that graffiti should be discouraged and that's why I choose not to modle it.

[Capt Bob Johnson]

You think about it and 9/11 may have an ultimate effect on the amounts of graffitti we see over the long run.

The increased security that is coming to all modes of transportation should make it just a bit harder for the taggers to get at it.   Fencing around railroad yards and trucking terminals should reduce access just enough to make it less attractive to do.  How much is target of opportunity?   If you have to climb over a 7' fence to get at your target, then jump it again to avoid apprehension if discovered; will  it be worth it in the first place?

I never could see the attraction of 90% of the graffitti.    I can't imagine any real thrill other than "Hey, I was able to do this without getting caught!", and then have it be your personal signature or icon which would lead the authorities straight to you.   That seems pretty dumb to me.   Likewise, putting your name or sign on a rr car that may well never ever be in your area again; for what?   Who will know it was you?   Who in East Jipip will care??  Who is going to be impressed?   So what is the object of the effort?   A fleeting claim to infamy?

Now if some of that effort were turned to something productive there is a wealth of talent out there.    The real question is how to channel that talent.

[vsmith]

Graffiti is a fact of life up here, some cars I beleive the paint from the graffiti is viewed by the RRs as a cheap way to repaint their rust bucket cars. I dont care for it, but then I model pre-graffiti steam era. It is a big problem here in urban areas, seen delivery trucks that have been covered by taggers.

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Personally I agree 100% with Ian, little punks should be caned on first offense. May sound harsh but believe me when I say most taggers are not the sharpest tools in the shed, too much fumes for that. Only something extremely painfull is likely to penetrate the concrete between their ears and get the message thru.

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 We get these knuckleheads hanging literally from their feet to tag the most outragious locations. Every now and then one gets dropped and falls to their death or gets run over or hit by a train and get slightly dead. Do their dumb little buddies learn anything, of course not! the next week there will be a tag in the same place their dumb little buddy was killed at in their memeory.

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I just look at it this way, their are very few old taggers.

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[Anonymous]

Fact: Modern railways are what they are.

Seen the show were you say "dam that paint job is great!", the guy was/could have been a tagger at one point in his life.

Oh yeah...building box cars and applyn abit of heat to them? Dam normal. 

Scrap car, many old and rusty dents + holes, hardly can see the markings of when the car was made!

But again your the boss, so play like it.

Any one have a 1:20th crane? Crawler type? 1/2 cent 

[Capt Bob Johnson]

Well yall can blah blah blah about graffiti shouldn't be modeled all you want to. The fact is, like it or not, it IS a fact of life, and if you model prototyically in the graffiti era with none, you're modeling WRONG. PERIOD. Now, on the other hand, if you're like me, and really don't give a rat's BUTT about being 100% prototypical, then leave it off. In the end, it's your railroad, model it like you want, but don't put down someone's decision to model or not to model graffiti. In the end, I agree that ALL graffiti is vandalism, BUT I also have high respect for modelers who can produce it with great accuracy. It does take talent.  Just my 2 cents.

I'd venture that the man has put the facts of the matter on the line.   AMEN!

[Blue Flamer]

To IRONHORSE77.

Ditto to the Kilroy bit, and that was over in the "Old Country"  (England) during WWII when I was a kid. You used to see it everywhere, on walls, sidewalks as well as railway wagons.

 

Blue Flamer. 

[IRONHORSE77]

I can remember when i was 7 or 8 years old and seeing "KILROY WAS HERE" on a box car and that was during WWII.

CHUCK

[GearDrivenSteam]

Well yall can blah blah blah about graffiti shouldn't be modeled all you want to. The fact is, like it or not, it IS a fact of life, and if you model prototyically in the graffiti era with none, you're modeling WRONG. PERIOD. Now, on the other hand, if you're like me, and really don't give a rat's BUTT about being 100% prototypical, then leave it off. In the end, it's your railroad, model it like you want, but don't put down someone's decision to model or not to model graffiti. In the end, I agree that ALL graffiti is vandalism, BUT I also have high respect for modelers who can produce it with great accuracy. It does take talent.  Just my 2 cents.

[ttrigg]

I don't think graffiti should be encouraged in any way. They don' have any in Singapore becasue they beat anyone caught doing it.

Rgds ian

 

I say give the cops bigger sticks!   

 

[Anonymous]

Just because real trains have grafitti doesn't mean we have to go to that level of realism.  I also model in the pre-grafitti days, but you can rest assured that if I modelled in the modern day I wouldn't deface my rolling stock with that crap.   Yup, the beatings will continue until the grafitti stops.

[FJ and G]

Nice work. How come it is that whenever I see a COFC or TOFC train, the trucks are never sprayed with graffiti? I never could figure that one out.

 

BTW, I model in the pre-graffiti days so don't have any on my models. IMO if you model modern era correctly, you'll need to do some tagging. MTH is one company that tags some cars. 

[Anonymous]

I don't think graffiti should be encouraged in any way. They don' have any in Singapore becasue they beat anyone caught doing it.

Rgds ian

[streettrains]

just something quick that I did

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5MYGZUnI-E

 

Mike