Railroad vandal caught!

[Jetrock]

Here's an article from the Sacramento Bee about the apprehending of suspected boxcar tagger "Crooks"...

http://sacbee.com/content/news/story/11849146p-12736368c.html

[Big_Boy_4005]

I find the damage figures cited in the article hard to believe. The charges seem a little over blown. The truth is this one guy's total damages are less than the value of 2 boxcars, in terms of total dollars. Furthermore the "damage" does not impede the functioning of the cars.

The guy was pretty stupid hitting buildings in the area. He gave away his location. So, they'll make an example of him.

This is a real coup for law enforcement, now all they have to do is catch the other 10,000 taggers in California. A huge waste of taxpayers dollars to prosecute this guy, when so many violent and more "worthy" criminals roam free.

[locomutt]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Big_Boy_4005

I find the damage figures cited in the article hard to believe. The charges seem a little over blown. The truth is this one guy's total damages are less than the value of 2 boxcars, in terms of total dollars. Furthermore the "damage" does not impede the functioning of the cars.

The guy was pretty stupid hitting buildings in the area. He gave away his location. So, they'll make an example of him.

This is a real coup for law enforcement, now all they have to do is catch the other 10,000 taggers in California. A huge waste of taxpayers dollars to prosecute this guy, when so many violent and more "worthy" criminals roam free.

So,it might not have been a million dollars worth of 'drugs',but it's still a crime.
The 'dude' was stupid for doing it in the first place,and since it is a crime,he will
get to do his time;and not enough,I'm sure.
As far as the "damage" not impeding the function of the cars;wrong; it does,
when they take them out of service to repaint.

Graffitti is vandalism,vandalism is a crime.

[MAbruce]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Big_Boy_4005

I find the damage figures cited in the article hard to believe. The charges seem a little over blown. The truth is this one guy's total damages are less than the value of 2 boxcars, in terms of total dollars. Furthermore the "damage" does not impede the functioning of the cars.

Keep in mind that the labor involved in re-painting these cars has to be a big chunk of the cost, as well as the lost revenue on each car for the time it’s taken out of service. You would be surprised how costs can add up on stupid acts of vandalism.

QUOTE: This is a real coup for law enforcement, now all they have to do is catch the other 10,000 taggers in California. A huge waste of taxpayers dollars to prosecute this guy, when so many violent and more "worthy" criminals roam free.

Perhaps the publicity of his capture will make some think twice before doing it again? It’s not realistic to think that many will be deterred, but considering the potential cost one tagger can rack up, it’s worth the effort if a few current (or future) taggers are conviced it’s not worth the risk.

[mikebonellisr]

Maybe we can't catch them all,but it's necessary to make a example of the jerks that are caught.My idea of justice would be 2 weeks in jail for each tag,fined the cost of clean-up[which will take the rest of his life to pay off and make it his job to remove his garbage and visual pollution from someone's private property

[Anonymous]

I think that it's great that law enforcement is doing something to track down these vandals! They should really throw the book at this guy and make an example out of him in order to make other vandals think twice about spray-painting a freight car!

[Leon Silverman]

I wonder if BigBoy4005 has lived in such an exclusive neighborhood tht He has never found paint or even soap(mischief Night) on his house or automobile. Being tagged makes the victim feel violated.

[IRONROOSTER]

I don't know what the damage cost is, but the best punishment would be to have to clean up and repaint every car he sprayed - of course UP probably doesn't want him near their cars.
Merry Christmas
Paul

[Anonymous]

Serves him right. I hate looking at cars with graffiti on them.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by locomutt

QUOTE: Originally posted by Big_Boy_4005

I find the damage figures cited in the article hard to believe. The charges seem a little over blown. The truth is this one guy's total damages are less than the value of 2 boxcars, in terms of total dollars. Furthermore the "damage" does not impede the functioning of the cars.

The guy was pretty stupid hitting buildings in the area. He gave away his location. So, they'll make an example of him.

This is a real coup for law enforcement, now all they have to do is catch the other 10,000 taggers in California. A huge waste of taxpayers dollars to prosecute this guy, when so many violent and more "worthy" criminals roam free.

So,it might not have been a million dollars worth of 'drugs',but it's still a crime.
The 'dude' was stupid for doing it in the first place,and since it is a crime,he will
get to do his time;and not enough,I'm sure.
As far as the "damage" not impeding the function of the cars;wrong; it does,
when they take them out of service to repaint.

Graffitti is vandalism,vandalism is a crime.

Ya, I gotta agree with you on this one, it is definately a crime. I've seen brand new sound barriers errected along I-95 one day and the next day they're tagged. This cost taxpayers millions every year to remove and repaint, not to mention the image it gives to tourist who visit our area. Believe me they don't stay long, then they leave and take their money with them just to spend it elsewhere. It really gives the area a slummy appearance. [V][V][:(!][:(!]

[Anonymous]

What gets me is these vandals rarely get caught defacing railroad property, but stand near a rail line with your camera and police think you're a terrorist! Where are the police when the thousands of rail cars get disfigured each year?

Bob Boudreau

[ben10ben]

Serves him right!

I only wi***hat more of these criminals(and, yes, they are criminals) could be caught.

[Anonymous]

Why I remember back in 02, we used to give these characters a suspended sentence,,,from the nearest Oak Tree, "HANG-UM-HIGH"[C):-)][C):-)][:D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by FundyNorthern

What gets me is these vandals rarely get caught defacing railroad property, but stand near a rail line with your camera and police think you're a terrorist! Where are the police when the thousands of rail cars get disfigured each year?

Bob Boudreau

Ain't that wierd????[%-)][%-)][%-)]

[Catt]

Where do you guys get the idea that these cars are repainted to cover up the grafitti?You must be living in a dream world somewhere off planet.The only time they will get a repaint is when they get a rebuild or maybe sold.The new paint is concidered maintinance and configured into the price of the rebuild.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Catt

Where do you guys get the idea that these cars are repainted to cover up the grafitti?You must be living in a dream world somewhere off planet.The only time they will get a repaint is when they get a rebuild or maybe sold.The new paint is concidered maintinance and configured into the price of the rebuild.

No matter how you cut it, it's still a crime, no ifs ands or buts about it.

[Anonymous]

Don't do the crime if you can't do the time. I would hate to come home and find my three story house trailer{Hillbilly Highrise} all painted up in such unsightly things.Private property is private property no matter who it belongs to.No one should be allowed to deface what is not there's.So thats why the cops were chasing me the other day when i was taking pictures.[:O][%-)]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by FundyNorthern

What gets me is these vandals rarely get caught defacing railroad property, but stand near a rail line with your camera and police think you're a terrorist! Where are the police when the thousands of rail cars get disfigured each year?

Bob Boudreau

Has this happened to you ? In Canada ?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by railguyho

Don't do the crime if you can't do the time. I would hate to come home and find my three story house trailer{Hillbilly Highrise} all painted up in such unsightly things.Private property is private property no matter who it belongs to.No one should be allowed to deface what is not there's.So thats why the cops were chasing me the other day when i was taking pictures.[:O][%-)]

What wrong did you do taking pictures ?

[jfugate]

I know a modeler who makes his living doing modern graffitti-laden model railcars and selling them on ebay at premium prices. His weathering and graffitti looks pretty convincing. [:-,]

Still, I really dislike the stuff. Even though I model a modern enough era that graffitti would not be out of place, I refuse to have the stuff on my layout. I *will not* give any credence to this sort of vandalism ... [V]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dimastep

QUOTE: Originally posted by railguyho

Don't do the crime if you can't do the time. I would hate to come home and find my three story house trailer{Hillbilly Highrise} all painted up in such unsightly things.Private property is private property no matter who it belongs to.No one should be allowed to deface what is not there's.So thats why the cops were chasing me the other day when i was taking pictures.[:O][%-)]

What wrong did you do taking pictures ?

It was just my attempt at humor,that is my guise for not being as knowedgeable as alot of the great people here in this forum.But still wanting to contribute.By the way I really dont live in a three story mobile home, mine are all side by side fastened togeather with duct tape.[:D] Happy Holidays.

[twhite]

The article says he works at a fast-food place in Roseville. Just shows you what too many French-fries does to the brain.
Tom

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by FundyNorthern

What gets me is these vandals rarely get caught defacing railroad property, but stand near a rail line with your camera and police think you're a terrorist! Where are the police when the thousands of rail cars get disfigured each year?

Bob Boudreau

Now you're talking Bob. [tup][tup]

It must have been a slow news day in Sacremento.

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by twhite

The article says he works at a fast-food place in Roseville. Just shows you what too many French-fries does to the brain.
Tom

Tom, it's not the french fries, it's the paint fumes.[:0][:p][;)]

The thing I can't figure out is, where did this idiot find the money for all that paint, flippin burgers?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Catt

Where do you guys get the idea that these cars are repainted to cover up the grafitti?You must be living in a dream world somewhere off planet.The only time they will get a repaint is when they get a rebuild or maybe sold.The new paint is concidered maintinance and configured into the price of the rebuild.

I've seen plenty of cars that have had the grafitti painted over and the obliterated dimensional data/reporting marks/COTS labels and such re-applied. Not total repaints, but some pretty major patch jobs, sometimes the entire bottom half of the car. I've also seen a few with small patches that look like they were done to cover up something like a naked figure or obscene word.

And I also notice the cops are keeping a closer eye on us photographers, but you're right, they don't seem to be doing much to catch the taggers, which seems odd because some of those guys must be taking a long time to do their "artwork" as it can be quite elaborate on occasion.

[SP4449]

I am not condoning the tagging of cars but , like GrayLoess, I am curious about how a person or persons get enough time to do the work you see on some of the cars that pass you at your favorite train watching location. And, how it is done with just a few aerosol cans of paint.

I can see a side thread developing in this - train watching. I make sure the train crew knows I am there; I am at a location that is frequented by train watchers with cameras; and this location is known to have parked cars at all hours of the day or night. This location is also frequented by families with children and the passing crews blow the horn for them as the kids wave at the passing train. I have seen some of the watchers bring folding chairs in order to be comfortable during the wait for the next train.

BTW - Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

[Anonymous]

What is Santa bringing them?

[ericsp]

QUOTE: Originally posted by GrayLoess

QUOTE: Originally posted by Catt

Where do you guys get the idea that these cars are repainted to cover up the grafitti?You must be living in a dream world somewhere off planet.The only time they will get a repaint is when they get a rebuild or maybe sold.The new paint is concidered maintinance and configured into the price of the rebuild.

I've seen plenty of cars that have had the grafitti painted over and the obliterated dimensional data/reporting marks/COTS labels and such re-applied. Not total repaints, but some pretty major patch jobs, sometimes the entire bottom half of the car.

Which probably does make the car unusable until the data is restencilled. Does anyone know the regulations regarding display of such data?

[leonardbrand]

Horay, I'm glad they did, because of people like him is why when you try to take a snap shot of some box car you want to model or a picture of your favorite engine, and some railroad cop gives you a hard time, you can think people like them, so where some one is just painting on a box car, or busting into it to steal something we as railfans need to become part of the solution, instead of being looked at as part of the problem. I don't want any one hurt, but if you see someone damageing railroad property in any form and you can get a picture that will help in prosecuting, just mail it to the railroad with no return address or any thing to your identification on it, or they will thank you by trying to prosecute you also. may be we can in time change thier attitude toward us.

[tree68]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ericsp

QUOTE: Originally posted by GrayLoess

QUOTE: Originally posted by Catt

Where do you guys get the idea that these cars are repainted to cover up the grafitti?You must be living in a dream world somewhere off planet.The only time they will get a repaint is when they get a rebuild or maybe sold.The new paint is concidered maintinance and configured into the price of the rebuild.

I've seen plenty of cars that have had the grafitti painted over and the obliterated dimensional data/reporting marks/COTS labels and such re-applied. Not total repaints, but some pretty major patch jobs, sometimes the entire bottom half of the car.

Which probably does make the car unusable until the data is restencilled. Does anyone know the regulations regarding display of such data?

Don't know about the rules, but obviously that's all information that needs to be there. During another grafitti thread it was mentioned that some of the taggers had figured out that if they leave the stencilling/reporting marks intact, their "work" will be in place longer. I've seen more than a few tagged cars where that was the case.