Is boxcar graffiti an art form or an eyesore ?

[Anonymous]

Most of it is silly & dumb to look at but i have come across some that could be called good work. However, it should be known that a large share of rr car graffiti is done by rr workers themselves. These are inside jobs. I have seen it take place myself. One such story relates back to around 1993-1994 when i was a bulk car loader for Cargill Flour Milling. We had just received a first batch of brand new leased CFMX pd cars for flour loading. Cars were so new the gray gloss paint shined nicely. We had a SF switch crew on the 202 job which was known for tagging cars which read '2 dead crew'. Well they tagged that on one of the brand new cars, mill turned it in, investigation was held and the switch guys were told to stop it. The mill could care less if rr owned cars were tagged ,they just did not want their private leased fleet to be painted upon on.

[Anonymous]

Most of it is silly & dumb to look at but i have come across some that could be called good work. However, it should be known that a large share of rr car graffiti is done by rr workers themselves. These are inside jobs. I have seen it take place myself. One such story relates back to around 1993-1994 when i was a bulk car loader for Cargill Flour Milling. We had just received a first batch of brand new leased CFMX pd cars for flour loading. Cars were so new the gray gloss paint shined nicely. We had a SF switch crew on the 202 job which was known for tagging cars which read '2 dead crew'. Well they tagged that on one of the brand new cars, mill turned it in, investigation was held and the switch guys were told to stop it. The mill could care less if rr owned cars were tagged ,they just did not want their private leased fleet to be painted upon on.

[fuzzybroken]

QUOTE: Originally posted by EUCLID TRAVIS

Now that the FRA has mandated railcar side reflectors, it should be interesting to see how the railroads react to being held responsible for automobiles running into the side of a car that has its mandatory warning reflectors covered up with graffiti paint.

Funny you mention that... Over the weekend I saw several freight cars that had the side reflectors applied right over the top of somebody's "art"... !

[zgardner18]

An Eyesore unless you don't like UP

[zgardner18]

QUOTE: Originally posted by zgardner18

An Eyesore unless you don't like UP

Actually that's not graffiti, that's the new Western logo for Union Pacific. UP trying to accommodate the styles diversity of Los Angeles' broad ethnic groups for political correctness.

[chad thomas]

QUOTE: Originally posted by zgardner18

QUOTE: Originally posted by zgardner18

An Eyesore unless you don't like UP

Actually that's not graffiti, that's the new Western logo for Union Pacific. UP trying to accommodate the styles diversity of Los Angeles' broad ethnic groups for political correctness.

Is that the story you are sticking with?[;)] That's funny, I could have sworn this was the new UP LA paint scheme. Or is it a dynamic paint scheme?

[zgardner18]

QUOTE: Originally posted by chad thomas

QUOTE: Originally posted by zgardner18

QUOTE: Originally posted by zgardner18

An Eyesore unless you don't like UP

Actually that's not graffiti, that's the new Western logo for Union Pacific. UP trying to accommodate the styles diversity of Los Angeles' broad ethnic groups for political correctness.

Is that the story you are sticking with?[;)] That's funny, I could have sworn this was the new UP LA paint scheme. Or is it a dynamic paint scheme?

I keep trying to make excuses for this city that I'm a prisoner of. My problem is that I keep dreaming of Montana which was forced to leave last year. What you do for your wife to keep here happy and back by her family. I guess I'm a "Yes" man.

[chad thomas]

I feel ya Zak, But then I remember how cold it gets up north and that eases the pain.....ALOT!!!!

[zgardner18]

QUOTE: Originally posted by chad thomas

I feel ya Zak, But then I remember how cold it gets up north and that eases the pain.....ALOT!!!!

Ya, but I wish I was back down in San Diego area by you, after spending the weekend down there by the water. L.A. just sucks--except I'm closer to Cajon Pass, and the Loop.

[zgardner18]

here is one that I liked because I would see it quite often go through Bozeman Pass so I would know that it was the same set of cars.

[CopCarSS]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tree68
Every time the topic is discussed here, there are generally three camps - the perpetrators should be shot; it's mis-directed talent; or it's not all that bad (and, as some have pointed out here, may actually improve the looks of the car).

My usual argument is - "How about they come tag your house or vehicle?" Same difference.

I think I fall into the first camp. However, every once in awhile, it's pretty amusing to look at what these "artists" have to say. My personal favorite was "Satin Lives" on the side of a bridge abutment. And to think that I've been a fan of wool all these years! Real geniuses I tell you...

Just as an aside, graffiti is nothing new. I remember reading a Lucius Beebe book (Trains in Transition maybe?) talking about hobo art. The featured image was a scrawl that Bozo Texino left on a boxcar once. If that is the case, I remember Beebe talking about the 'new' Big Boy locomotive. [:p] Will check it out on lunch.

[chad thomas]

QUOTE: Originally posted by zgardner18

QUOTE: Originally posted by chad thomas

I feel ya Zak, But then I remember how cold it gets up north and that eases the pain.....ALOT!!!!

Ya, but I wish I was back down in San Diego area by you, after spending the weekend down there by the water. L.A. just sucks--except I'm closer to Cajon Pass, and the Loop.

Yea, I miss being closer to Cajon and the loop, especially with gas prices what they are these days.

[Anonymous]

LOL, somebody ought to "warbonnetize" some of UP's bland armour yellow locos

[emmar]

It doesn't matter if you think it is art or tastfull , it is still illegal and should not be tolerated. (Personally I hate seeing graffiti on railcars, because I think it is increadibly disrespectfull.)

[Anonymous]

Although it is illegal, it is also nothing new. I just saw this book, "Freight Train Graffiti" which studys the orgins and history, from the 1800's to present. Seems pretty interesting:



http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0810992493/ref=reg_hu-wl_item-added/104-7701583-0758314?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=283155

[kschmidt]

Tough Question,

As a law enforcement officer I would have to arrest someone that I caught taggin a railroad car. However some of the work I see on RR cars is pretty amazing. Some other people must think so, because in N-scale there is the Graffitti Collectors Series. These N-scale cars are Mircro-Trains cars produced in limited numbers that show off actual cars with their "Extra" artwork. These cars continually sell out and if they show up on Ebay command big prices. I believe I have posted the pictures below before, but they show some creativity. But it is still illegal. The shots below were taken at the Port of Milwaukee.




This car was produced by Graffitti Collectors Series as a car and SOLD OUT.

[dknelson]

Being an artist and being a criminal is not inconsistent.
Dave Nelson

[BaltACD]

Graffiti like art is in the eye of the beholder.

And like 'art' most Graffiti that is produced is not fit for human observation.

[upchuck]

QUOTE: Originally posted by solzrules

Vandalism is not art, it is illegal.

If some jag off was "tagging" my house and telling me that it was art I would light his***up with a couple 21 gun salutes.....Spray paint yourself and keep your hand off other peoples' property. Including railroads.

I worked with a guy whose 27 year old son painted himself with green
oil-based paint for St. Patricks day. I mean he painted ALL over himself and
ended up in the hospital. I understand he was not on drugs when he
self-grafitteed, he is simply[D)][D)][D)]...

[coborn35]

QUOTE: Originally posted by redrabbit

Although it is illegal, it is also nothing new. I just saw this book, "Freight Train Graffiti" which studys the orgins and history, from the 1800's to present. Seems pretty interesting:



http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0810992493/ref=reg_hu-wl_item-added/104-7701583-0758314?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=283155

Probably gonna get sued for not asking UP permission to use that graffiti on their cars...LOL

Also, has anyone seen taggers n action? How do we know its not just some graffiti gremlins?[:-,]

[upchuck]

[alien] True, grafitti could be like crop circles that just seem to appear. Art Bell
could run with this one... "Indeed...west of the Rockies"...

[gradyo54]

It's not art it's destruction of someones property, Those cars are owned by some bank or trust company to be used by the person who is leasing them, some have a company name, most have a railroad name on them. These misfits that paint them are trespassing on RR property and in the event they get hurt while doing this some liberal jury will award them some big money for it. They are part of the reason railfans are no longer welcomed trackside like they used to be. You see someone painting a car...get on your cell phone and call the railroad police they would love to bust them. I'm going to!

[solzrules]

QUOTE: Originally posted by upchuck

QUOTE: Originally posted by solzrules

Vandalism is not art, it is illegal.

If some jag off was "tagging" my house and telling me that it was art I would light his***up with a couple 21 gun salutes.....Spray paint yourself and keep your hand off other peoples' property. Including railroads.

I worked with a guy whose 27 year old son painted himself with green
oil-based paint for St. Patricks day. I mean he painted ALL over himself and
ended up in the hospital. I understand he was not on drugs when he
self-grafitteed, he is simply[D)][D)][D)]...

[(-D]Happy St. Patties DAY! I would love to laugh with you on this one, but I have a few St. Patties day stories of my own that aren't to far away from that one, so all I'll say is this.

"We were young, and I was drunk."

Doesn't always work with the cops, though.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE:

Also, has anyone seen taggers n action? How do we know its not just some graffiti gremlins?[:-,]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7pwSb-Ju5A&search=train%20%20graffiti

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AfEZ9g9byM&search=train%20%20graffiti (might want to turn your speakers off)(the music stinks)

[V][V][V][V][V]

[GP-9_Man11786]

Lionel has also produced some grafiti cars in the past, namely a Golden West Service 2-Bay covered hopper.

[Anonymous]

Actually there are two types of railcar graffiti:

One type has been around forever. That is the cryptic cartoons and incomprehensible messages that are done by railroad employees. A lot of this is just the extension of expression of switchmen with chalk or crayon, making notes on cars about switching moves. Some of these people developed their own logo such as the little guy in the Mexican sombrero sitting under the palm tree.

The underlying attraction in the motive for this kind of tagging is fame. The point is to get your logo onto as many cars as possible, so they spread your brand or trademark far and wide. Around the early 1900s, somebody named J.B. King became famous by signing railcars. Another was somebody named TEXAS BOZINO or visa versa. This motive of mass production requires that the basic characteristic of this kind of tagging is graphic simplicity. Usually it is done with a single color that contrasts with the background.

The second type of graffiti is a recent development of the last 30 years or so. This is the work of inner city youth applied to buildings, bridges, retaining walls, railcars, or anything that offers a surface that is not under vigilance by those who would object to the act. The basic motive for this kind of tagging is to produce a single piece that outdoes all the previous work of others. The characteristic of this kind of graffiti is garishness and overly complex, eye popping geometry with as much color variety as possible with spray paint. The theme is always an “in your face” message that expresses the underlying motive, which is competition.

Part of the power of this second type of graffiti is its thorny protection by an aura of political correctness that threatens would-be critics with an accusation of cultural insensitivity or worse. It is this protection that allows this type of graffiti to flouri***o such outlandish vulgarity, and to even get laws passed that place responsibility for the offensive act on the victim who owns the surface of its illegal display rather than on the actual perpetrator.

[chad thomas]

So how many of you guys have graffiti on you model trains? I have done several cars. Some with micro scale decals and some hand painted and some with both. Although the percentage of my cars that are graffitied is probably less then 2% it really adds to the realism.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by EUCLID TRAVIS

[i] It is this protection that allows this type of graffiti to flouri***o such outlandish vulgarity, and to even get laws passed that place responsibility for the offensive act on the victim who owns the surface of its illegal display rather than on the actual perpetrator.

Excellent point, I remember the graffiti ''police' in Oakland threatening to cite us for graffiti placed on the side of warehouse buildings we owned.

Heh, the south side of Oakland is such a pretty place to begin with, one wonders if it was the fresh, unfaded paint that they objected to.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by chad thomas

So how many of you guys have graffiti on you model trains? I have done several cars. Some with micro scale decals and some hand painted and some with both. Although the percentage of my cars that are graffitied is probably less then 2% it really adds to the realism.

How 'bout some photo's of your layout?

[chad thomas]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TheAntiGates

QUOTE: Originally posted by chad thomas

So how many of you guys have graffiti on you model trains? I have done several cars. Some with micro scale decals and some hand painted and some with both. Although the percentage of my cars that are graffitied is probably less then 2% it really adds to the realism.

How 'bout some photo's of your layout?

Wish I could. Unfortunately I'm liveing in a small apartment these days and all my stuff is in storeage [:(] with the exception of a string of 89' TTX flats w/ 40' UPS trailers I bought a while back.