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METROPOLITAN MASTERPIECE OR SIMPLY DISGUSTING

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Posted by tree68 on Saturday, October 3, 2020 6:19 PM

BaltACD

Irrespective of the artistic merit - how they can get a position 10 - 15 - 18 feet from the top of the rail to be able to do anything that is coherent is mind boggling.

Especially on the auto racks.  And they have to be bringing cases of rattle cans to cover as much as they do - I've seen entire sides covered, top to bottom, end to end.  

One rattle can will cover approximately four square feet - that extrapolates to almost 400 cans to cover the side of an auto rack.

One might wonder if it's a team sport...

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Posted by Electroliner 1935 on Saturday, October 3, 2020 4:59 PM

Convicted One
 
samfp1943
Just to pin down a couple !! 

I've yet to see Eustace Tilley painted onto the side of a boxcar? Perhaps that is a little too "highbrow" for your run-of-the-mill tagger?  And would The New Yorker magazine sue for IP infringement if one ever did?

Thanks, I never knew that there was a name associated with the illustration. My learning for the day.

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Posted by Electroliner 1935 on Saturday, October 3, 2020 4:53 PM

Remember how the New York Subway cars got tagged and how much it cost to overcome the "ART" that was on them. Somehow, Chicago's Metra cars don't seem to get tagged which I am happy for.

As far as painting "art" on property that is not authorized, I would not want it done to my mine and do not condone it being done to others property. And so I do not want to do anything to legitimize anyone defacing property. Some cities have murals painted on underpass walls and some buildings authorize "murals" painted on them and those brighten neighborhoods. Tagging freight cars is, in my opinion, defacing others property and should be denounced and where possible prosecuted.

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Posted by Overmod on Saturday, October 3, 2020 4:23 PM

BaltACD
Irrespective of the artistic merit - how they can get a position 10 - 15 - 18 feet from the top of the rail to be able to do anything that is coherent is mind boggling.

Ever see those cheerleading demonstrations four people high?  Much easier to stabilize them like espaliers against certain bluff hard surfaces...

Now I have to imagine a graffito of Tilley looking through his monocle at a particular work of graffiti ... in fact, lots of Tilleys drawn as recognizable 'Kilroy-was-here' icons; should we tag them 'Tilroys'? Wink ... with that ineffable look of observation.  Would it be disapproval, or approbation?  And would the difference serve as a New-Yorkeresque appraisal, thumbs up or down or 'somewhere in between' perhaps, of the relative artistic merit...  Hmmm, might be time to check up on the writer community in LA Whistling

(And no, it would be parodic, covered under doctrine of fair use...)

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Posted by Convicted One on Saturday, October 3, 2020 4:19 PM

samfp1943
Just to pin down a couple !!

I've yet to see Eustace Tilley painted onto the side of a boxcar? Perhaps that is a little too "highbrow" for your run-of-the-mill tagger?  And would The New Yorker magazine sue for IP infringement if one ever did?

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Posted by BaltACD on Saturday, October 3, 2020 4:17 PM

Irrespective of the artistic merit - how they can get a position 10 - 15 - 18 feet from the top of the rail to be able to do anything that is coherent is mind boggling.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by Backshop on Saturday, October 3, 2020 4:11 PM

I've always marveled at some of the talent.  How they retain awareness of a 10-20ft long mural when you're working at arm's length is something that I couldn't do.

When I was at Fostoria a few weeks ago, I found that the tagging made it easier to count cars on unit trains.  I could glance around and come back to a particular car because of the unusual colors.  Before anyone thinks I'm a millenial or something else insulting, I'm 61.  

Tagging adds colors to the rails.  Remember the days when railroads had actual color schemes and designs?  Now your lucky to get a logo in addition to the reporting marks.

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Posted by tree68 on Saturday, October 3, 2020 3:59 PM

Convicted One
Here on the forums, sentiment can turn rabid quickly, and run away......

Which is the reason for the ban.  Pretty much the same for politics.

LarryWhistling
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Posted by samfp1943 on Saturday, October 3, 2020 3:45 PM

Convicted One
samfp1943

 

Such as "Kilroy"?

  Absolutely ! and do not forget that 'other' guy "Pedro" who sat under his sombrero and that palm tree !   Just to pin down a couple !!  Laugh

 

 


 

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Posted by Convicted One on Saturday, October 3, 2020 3:32 PM

samfp1943
It was the 'signatures' of those making the notes on cars, that gained individuals some modicums of notariety. 

 

Such as "Kilroy"?

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Posted by Convicted One on Saturday, October 3, 2020 3:29 PM

Euclid
I guess that cannot happen when it wins a phtoto contest

Well, when you think about it, they from time to time write about political subjects in the magazine as well, where they can control the narrative.

Here on the forums, sentiment can turn rabid quickly, and run away......

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Posted by samfp1943 on Saturday, October 3, 2020 3:27 PM

VANDALISM !  Is a Criminal act !

      SoapBox               Anyway you cut it.

It is destruction of someone else's property... IS A CRIMINAL ACT !   Grumpy

It is punishable under our legal codes.

Ig got its start in time when railroaders did not have personal radio communications; chalk was distributed to employees to note various specifics on individual rail cars.  It was the 'signatures' of those making the notes on cars, that gained individuals some modicums of notariety. 

As (tree68) Larry noted: The invention of the 'rattle can,' and it relative low cost has led to what has become known as 'tagging'.  Bang Head

In times pas.... The railroad police did a relatively even job of controling acxcess to rail cars just in the Yards... Now with circustances causing cars to stack up on unused lines throught tghe country, and relatively, unsupervised locations; the 'art' seems to be becoming ubiquitous. Crying   The 'auto-rack' seems to be a ;particular 'target' for tagging... particular, in the early half of this 2020 have they become rolling displays of filthy language, and deviant. and surreal presentations.

rant off!    SoapBox

 

 

 

 

 


 

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Posted by Euclid on Saturday, October 3, 2020 2:19 PM

Convicted One
 
BaltACD
But obviously Kalmbach did not keep that in mind in their photo selection.

 

I'm not so sure that it is the subject matter that is the problem, near as much the battle of wills that invariably take up sides around it.

 

That is what they say.  I guess that cannot happen when it wins a phtoto contest though. 

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Posted by Convicted One on Saturday, October 3, 2020 2:13 PM

BaltACD
But obviously Kalmbach did not keep that in mind in their photo selection.

I'm not so sure that it is the subject matter that is the problem, near as much the battle of wills that invariably take up sides around it.

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Posted by BaltACD on Saturday, October 3, 2020 1:40 PM

tree68
But tagging is also on the taboo list for this forum, as I recall, so we should keep that in mind.

But obviously Kalmbach did not keep that in mind in their photo selection.

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Posted by tree68 on Saturday, October 3, 2020 1:21 PM

charlie hebdo
The photo is the artwork, posted on this forum as the rail photography runner up in a Trains contest,  obviously perfectly abiding by the Trains forum rules.  

Indeed, and as such perfectly allowable.  In fact, it's hard to take a picture of railroad equipment that doesn't include some rattle can "art."  It's the discussion of the relative merits of tagging that sometimes gets out of hand.

LarryWhistling
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Posted by zugmann on Saturday, October 3, 2020 12:48 PM

tree68
I've heard that some "artists" actually take pains to leave the reporting marks, etc, intact so their masterpiece will remain untouched that much longer...

Many are.  They also are avoiding Chemtrec/data placards and the reflecftive striping.

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by charlie hebdo on Saturday, October 3, 2020 12:40 PM

tree68

We have people celebrating the graffiti of urban "artist" "Banksy" (I don't think he's into railroad cars yet).  If you want to incur wrath, paint over one of his masterpieces...

Railfans decry tagging as defacing those monuments to our passion - no question about that.

Taggers see it as mobile billboards of their craft, to be admired by others of similar mind, as well as territorial markers of a sort.

But tagging is also on the taboo list for this forum, as I recall, so we should keep that in mind.

 

 

 

The photo is the artwork, posted on this forum as the rail photography runner up in a Trains contest,  obviously perfectly abiding by the Trains forum rules.  

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Posted by tree68 on Saturday, October 3, 2020 12:32 PM

zugmann

Railroaders see it as:  "what's that car number??"

I've heard that some "artists" actually take pains to leave the reporting marks, etc, intact so their masterpiece will remain untouched that much longer...

LarryWhistling
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Posted by Euclid on Saturday, October 3, 2020 12:32 PM

I believe there is a feeling in our culture that we are required to speak approvingly of graffiti.  Some rebel against that and others bow to it.  But it is a crime to vandalize property, just as murder or beheadings are crimes.  Rioting and burning buildings is a crime.  Can it also be an artistic masterpiece? Of course it can.  It is in the eye of the beholder.  They get to decide what is art.   

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Posted by zugmann on Saturday, October 3, 2020 12:29 PM

Railroaders see it as:  "what's that car number??"

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by tree68 on Saturday, October 3, 2020 12:23 PM

We have people celebrating the graffiti of urban "artist" "Banksy" (I don't think he's into railroad cars yet).  If you want to incur wrath, paint over one of his masterpieces...

Railfans decry tagging as defacing those monuments to our passion - no question about that.

Taggers see it as mobile billboards of their craft, to be admired by others of similar mind, as well as territorial markers of a sort.

But tagging is also on the taboo list for this forum, as I recall, so we should keep that in mind.

 

 

LarryWhistling
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Posted by zugmann on Saturday, October 3, 2020 11:50 AM

Semper Vaporo
Do you own a car or other vehicle?  Do you own a house or other building?  How would you feel if I came over and painted some "metropolitan masterpiece" on one or more of them?  We could all gather around and admire the ART work.  Take photos and publish them... maybe one could win an award for artistic merit.

I'm going to ignore the false equivalence for a moment... 

 

If you want a photo of urban area - then yeah, graffitti is going to most likely be there. Railroading isn't always clean, shiny trains in a field.  If that's what you are into - then go for it.  But it's silly to try to force your ideals onto things like (checks notes) railfan magazine photogrpahy contests? Their judges decided they liked that photo.  As simple as that. 

 

 

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Saturday, October 3, 2020 11:45 AM

zugmann
Semper Vaporo
No,  Celebrating vandalism is never acceptable in any form.

I fail to see how a photograph is "celebrating". 

Do you own a car or other vehicle?  Do you own a house or other building?  How would you feel if I came over and painted some "metropolitan masterpiece" on one or more of them?  We could all gather around and admire the ART work.  Take photos and publish them... maybe one could win an award for artistic merit.

Semper Vaporo

Pkgs.

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Posted by Convicted One on Saturday, October 3, 2020 11:38 AM

nhrand
I'm not burying my head in the sand and I recognize that graffiti is reality and is an ever present part of the railroad scene today.  However, I'm asking if I am alone in reading TRAINS seeking pleasure.  Do I need to have sad reality flung in my face? 

Personally, I completely understand the contempt for vandalism aspect. I would be livid if I came out of the house one morning and found some tagger had dressed up my automobile.

But at the same time, railroads seem to be going further and further out of their ways to be less than ideal neighbors.

So, if I had a neighbor who regularly  went out of his way to [promote his own self interest at the expense of others].....I might get a chuckle seeing his car had been branded.

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Posted by BaltACD on Saturday, October 3, 2020 11:34 AM

Art is in the eye of the beer holder.  Bottoms up!

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by 54light15 on Saturday, October 3, 2020 11:31 AM

Well, it is provoking thoughts and emotions, isn't it? 

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Posted by zugmann on Saturday, October 3, 2020 11:30 AM

Some would probably consider a railroad as graffitti on the landscape in and of itself. 

It's been fun.  But it isn't much fun anymore.   Signing off for now. 


  

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Posted by charlie hebdo on Saturday, October 3, 2020 11:27 AM

If one expects the photos to be art, then one wants more than mere snapshots or record shots. Art provokes thoughts and emotions.

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Posted by Convicted One on Saturday, October 3, 2020 11:27 AM

zugmann
I fail to see how a photograph is "celebrating". 

Calling it a  "magnificent metropolitan masterpiece"  Might be

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