I was in the toy car section of my local Wally World just now, looking for the 1:87 autos. I did find the "four-buck-trucks" (semi tractor), which are a new addition to this particular store. As I was leaving with my new prize, something else caught my eye - a small, yellow, boxcar! They were cheap ($2.88 each), so I picked up a sample just for the novelty value.
Turns out it is a new line of die-cast rolling stock featuring graffiti on the sides. They product line is called "Enamelized - Graffiti Diecast Train Collection." It is distributed by Maitso, who makes other small vehicles. The cars are N-scale, I believe (not sure because I model HO), and have a one-piece die cast body. They come on a piece of Unitrack-like section of molded plastic track (rails are also plastic, and you can join several sections together). The sample I have has body-mounted horn-hook couplers, and plastic pizza-cutter wheels. I haven't taken mine out of the pakage yet, but it appears to have plastic trucks/sideframes, and I'm unsure whether the chassis is plastic or diecast.
There are apparently six different cars to choose from, all with a different type of graffiti. However, from what I could tell, there were only two actual differing cars. One was a brown D&H coal hopper (with no load). The other was a 50-ft plug door B&O boxcar. There only seemed to be one variety of the hopper, but there were multiple versions of the boxcar, just with different graffiti and different paint schemes. My sample is solid yellow with black lettering and silver ends. However, all the boxcars all had the SAME ROAD NUMBER (!!!). On my sample, it looks like the same graffiti pattern is on both sides of each car, and I would guess it's the same for them all.
Photo of front side of package:
Photo of back side of package:
The six different cars are "nicknamed" according to the graffiti artist who apparently painted the original graffiti. They are: Smith, Cycle, Jase, Cense, Arek, and Con (mine is a "Con" car). Apparently, there are actual prototypes of all these graffitis, because the cars all include a "baseball card" with a photo of the prototype graffiti on the side of a railcar. On my sample, aside from the color of the car, the one in the photo doesn't look like the same car type as the model.
On the back of the card is what appears to be a short "bio" of the graffiti artist who painted the original. The card on mine reads: "CON grew up watching the graffiti on the walls of Baltimore come up and go down, and with each new coat of paint an artist's history being lost. 'Painting a wall is just a wall, there's really nothing to it,' he says. 'It's just a flat surface. The only time that someone is going to see it is if they're walking straight up to it.' Freight trains became the answer, and CON has become a writer addicted to them. 'With a train, it's traveling everywhere, it's passing by cars, it's ending up in somebody else's yard, it's constantly on the move.'"
The back of the package also lists a website for more info about graffiti and it's artists: www.graffsupply.com (strangely enough, "Con" and "Arek" are not on the list of artists in the website's database)
Now having said all that, and without getting into my personal feelings on graffiti, here are my takes on these new items:
* Pro: has the potential to get young kids interested in trains by featuring something they can relate to (graffiti art).
* Pro: gets somewhat accurate models of trains back into big box stores.
* Con: all emphasis on the graffiti art and none on the rolling stock gives the impression that trains are nothing more than a potential "canvas" to be used for someone's art. Could encourage young kids to paint more RR equipment, leading to increased vandalism of RR equipment (not to mention other "public" property)
* Con: the potential to get young kids interested in trains is compromised by the fact they used the same boxcar model multiple times without any variation other than the paint scheme. It would be much more interesting if they had prototypical models to match the prototypical graffiti on them. Also, they could add a second paragraph to the "baseball card" about the particular car. For example: "This is a 50-ft plug door boxcar, originally made by American Car and Foundry in March 1947. It was originally sold to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad..." Also, it would be pretty cool if they had locomotives with graffiti instead of just boxcars.
Well, that's about it. Just wanted to let you guys know these things are out there. Might want to pick up one or two on your next visit to Wally World.
Dan Stokes
My other car is a tunnel motor
trainfan1221 wrote: It is very much a part of the real railroading scene.
Its NOT part of my railroading scene.
Stan.
THE SOUTHERN SERVES THE SOUTH.
I understand that it’s actually closer to ‘TT’ scale.
Graffiti does seem to be all over the place these days, but I choose not to model it. It may be prototypical to model, but I’m really not interested in giving it any more attention than it already gets. It’s vandalism, and while not considered a serious crime, it is a ridiculous blight that we could do without.
I do find it disconcerting that this would become the centerpiece of a toy. The narrative on the second picture alone seems like an attempt to indoctrinate kids to graffiti – calling it ‘art’ being lost as each new coat of paint erased it (instead of vandalism of private property). What’s next? Graffiti on toy cars and trucks?
The September 2006 Issue of TRAINS has a thorough article on the graffiti problem and how it is being glamorized by some people.
Pick us the September 2006 issue of TRAINS before it is gone. The October 2006 issue is already being mailed out to subscribers.
Andrew
Watch my videos on-line at https://www.youtube.com/user/AndrewNeilFalconer
Azure hit the spike on the head !! Why is it that people (marketers) would laud a destructrive practice like
vandalism and couple it with a toy targetted at children ? Insane.
Cascade Green Forever ! GET RICH QUICK !! Count your Blessings.
Azure wrote:I dislike graffiti...i admit, once in a while some of it looks like art, instead of just trash. To the graffiti artists, the ones who do create those paintings from time to time that actually resemble art, couldnt they find a better (not to mention safer and LEGAL) means of expressing themselves? The rest of these(read:LESS TALENTED) "artists" need to go get jobs. And it really REALLY bothers me to see this sold in toy form, with a trading card of a graffiti "artist" sold at a wal-mart. Artistic talent aside, railcars and locomotives are 1)private property 2) insanely expensive and 3) insanely dangerous. I wonder how Wal-Mart would react if a rash of vandalism struck their stores and trucks? Think they would package and sell mini versions of that? When a child, inspired by his favorite "artist" is struck by a passing train in a busy yard, while trying to emulate something he saw on a trading card, who will be the responsible party? The people packaging this trash and pretending its a worthwhile part of our culture? Or the railroads, who did nothing more than try and operate just as they have for 150 years? Tresspassing is still the no 2 cause of railroad related death after crossing collisions. Maybe these companies should think before they package this stuff, trying to turn urban decay into a marketing angle. Im all for model trains being sold at wal marts. But lets sell model trains for the trains, not simply as a canvas for graffiti. Cant believe they included little trading cards....just blowing off steam, Azure
Something that I would like to add is: how can Wal-mart promote this behavoir by selling these railcars but on the same hand they won't allow the sale of a CD with bad language. None of the above is better than the other. Maybe they should really evaluate their marketing and take a closer look at everything in general. I like the moral part about not supplying bad language CD's, but allowing this gaffiti car isn't any better to corrupt the minds on our youth. Sure, it's our part as parents to teach our children correct principles, but if Wal-mart is going to help us by not selling one bad thing then maybe they should help us by not allowing a boxcar promoting the art of gaffiti to provoke our youth to trespass and vandalize. But in the end, it is still our job to teach our youth right, and wrong, and let them govern for themselves. We can't protect them from everything, no matter how bad this world gets.
--Zak Gardner
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The whole idea of promoting gang-related crime makes my skin crawl, most graffiti is gang related and has some connection to gangs. You see it everywhere and in the part of the country where I am, SW New Mexico it is all over the place and on RR cars.
I was shocked to see WM have this products on the shelves and it appears to me the idea is to appeal to the younger generation with graffiti as an art form, it's totally beyond me why they do it. The posting about the use of chemical cars is scary indeed as people that tag RR cars most likely can't read the warnings or ignore them. How about liquid nitrogen for starters, it will instantly freeze whatever extremity it gets on, and then that part will shatter. The Hazmat warnings are on the cars but it is oblivious to marketing for WM that safety be an issue.
John Staehle
p.s. has anyone here written to WM ? I'm about to!
I bought my son some their stuff for his last birthday. He has a geep (I believe a 38), boxcar, tank car, caboose and I believe a gon. The also released some passenger equipment at one time. I believe ARR was one of the roads, and there were a couple others. The horn hook couplers are interesting on N scale.
Edit: They weren't the vandalized cars either. I don't think I would buy him something like that.
The origin of these "TT" Scale freight cars makes one wonder where do they keep all these injection molds and printing masks and screens. Some people really do hold onto all the old parts for future use. The tooling to make and paint these cars has to be at least 20 to 30 years old. It is obvious that not a cent was spent to make new tooling. All the new expenses on this graffiti promotion project went to the screen printing of the graffitti and the lithography of the package. This is the least expensive way to promote graffitti vandalizing on railroad equipment. If they were to actually be prototypical about the railroad side of the product, the cars would be from the 1980's not the 1950's or 1960's.
Here are links to information about this line of scale train cars and locomotives.
Maisto Diecast "On Track" 1/131 Trains
1/131 Scale "On Track" Diecast toy trains (Maisto)
1/131 Scale Trains - a Technical Look
1/131 Scale Trains - Comparisons with TT Scale and Scale Model Railroading
1/131 Scale Trains - Test Runs
1/131 Scale Trains - Track plans and Layouts for the "On Track" track system
These "ENAMALIZED" cars are add ons to the existing train sets.
How long ago were original sets sold?
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
zgardner18 wrote: Azure wrote:I dislike graffiti...i admit, once in a while some of it looks like art, instead of just trash. To the graffiti artists, the ones who do create those paintings from time to time that actually resemble art, couldnt they find a better (not to mention safer and LEGAL) means of expressing themselves? The rest of these(read:LESS TALENTED) "artists" need to go get jobs. And it really REALLY bothers me to see this sold in toy form, with a trading card of a graffiti "artist" sold at a wal-mart. Artistic talent aside, railcars and locomotives are 1)private property 2) insanely expensive and 3) insanely dangerous. I wonder how Wal-Mart would react if a rash of vandalism struck their stores and trucks? Think they would package and sell mini versions of that? When a child, inspired by his favorite "artist" is struck by a passing train in a busy yard, while trying to emulate something he saw on a trading card, who will be the responsible party? The people packaging this trash and pretending its a worthwhile part of our culture? Or the railroads, who did nothing more than try and operate just as they have for 150 years? Tresspassing is still the no 2 cause of railroad related death after crossing collisions. Maybe these companies should think before they package this stuff, trying to turn urban decay into a marketing angle. Im all for model trains being sold at wal marts. But lets sell model trains for the trains, not simply as a canvas for graffiti. Cant believe they included little trading cards....just blowing off steam, Azure Something that I would like to add is: how can Wal-mart promote this behavoir by selling these railcars but on the same hand they won't allow the sale of a CD with bad language. None of the above is better than the other. Maybe they should really evaluate their marketing and take a closer look at everything in general. I like the moral part about not supplying bad language CD's, but allowing this gaffiti car isn't any better to corrupt the minds on our youth. Sure, it's our part as parents to teach our children correct principles, but if Wal-mart is going to help us by not selling one bad thing then maybe they should help us by not allowing a boxcar promoting the art of gaffiti to provoke our youth to trespass and vandalize. But in the end, it is still our job to teach our youth right, and wrong, and let them govern for themselves. We can't protect them from everything, no matter how bad this world gets.
Wal-Mart is out to make a buck and that's it. Look around you the next time you're in Wal-Mart and you'll notice that the people are the same ones you see on The Gerry Springer Show trying to figure out who of 5 guys might have fathered their child. You'll also notice that there isn't a toy in the store that offers any kind of a learning experience. It's all "shoot-um-up" and junk, again, catering to the Jerry Springer crowd. I guess it's fitting that the rolling stock is covered with crap....it's what the Jerry Springer crowd is used to.
Mondo
There is a whole lot of stereotyping here. Let me ask you a question. Does Walmart sell guns both real and toy versions?
The TOY train cars in question are a legitimate expression of graffiti art , last I check spray painting toy or model cars was legal - so how this deiscussion jumps to cries of vandalism and gang insignias is beyond me. Put another way - if these same artists are now able to receive compensation for painting toy items, t-shirts, murals, walls etc - How is that a bad thing? Would't this legitimate activity cut down on real vandalism by providing an alternative? It sounds like the artists here have clearly been identified - I can;t imagine that he would go down to the local yard and bomb a train.
It seems to me that folks are reacting more to the art regardless if it is vandalism or not - this is also why you hear such negative connotations - some of which include the gang association.
I don't think this product promotes any illegal behavior any more than the guns do.
Andrew Falconer wrote: The September 2006 Issue of TRAINS has a thorough article on the graffiti problem and how it is being glamorized by some people. Pick us the September 2006 issue of TRAINS before it is gone. The October 2006 issue is already being mailed out to subscribers. Andrew
There is a funny joke (or bad stereotype) on the page where they ask the question is it crime or art. There is a picture of "Bob Marley" - only problem is that the picture is actually of Wu-Tang Clan member Old Dirty Bastrrd (sp) - not only does the picture look nothing like Bob Marley (unless you think all.....) but the author apparently ignored the initials O D B next to the face ?????
Sombra wrote: There is a whole lot of stereotyping here. Let me ask you a question. Does Walmart sell guns both real and toy versions? The TOY train cars in question are a legitimate expression of graffiti art , last I check spray painting toy or model cars was legal - so how this deiscussion jumps to cries of vandalism and gang insignias is beyond me. Put another way - if these same artists are now able to receive compensation for painting toy items, t-shirts, murals, walls etc - How is that a bad thing? Would't this legitimate activity cut down on real vandalism by providing an alternative? It sounds like the artists here have clearly been identified - I can;t imagine that he would go down to the local yard and bomb a train. It seems to me that folks are reacting more to the art regardless if it is vandalism or not - this is also why you hear such negative connotations - some of which include the gang association. I don't think this product promotes any illegal behavior any more than the guns do.
If these cars are supposed to be so hip and modern, then why did the company not make the investment in Post-1980 Locomotives and Freight cars for this set?
I know they want to make a quick dollar on old tooling, but printing the apparently "modern graffiti art" on pre-1960's style cars is a bit like the stiff and rotund old people trying to dance to modern hip-hop.
This is embarrassingly un-hip.
Have you seen this rapid transit set with snap together layouts?
crazy stuff including a graffitti version
art imitating life.
You are lucky if you don't find them. The models are 1/130 scale, not N!
the cars are too large & heavy for N. they are diecast metal with a strange horn hook truck. WM sells them very cheap.
BTW they are in the same diecast section as the 1/144 scale tanks that are good for Nscale WW2 modelers. Nice M4 Sherman & Helcat tanks.
In the same section' look for the Norscot Mini Construction Cat equipment. Nice selection of Cat D5 dozer, 906 wheel loader, 420 backhoe & 315 excavator.
I have some HO freight cars with graffiti on them, but it's tasteful and I put it on myself. I don't intend to sell them.
Now I did buy some of that mini construction equipment. The dozer can pass for a small HO scale dozer. As for the front end loader, backhoe and track hoe, I cut the cabs off them, reworked the drivers area and now they look like mredium-heavy equipment people rent to use in their yards.
BMRR wrote: trainfan1221 wrote: It is very much a part of the real railroading scene. Its NOT part of my railroading scene. Stan.
Mine either...
Tracklayer