Tagged trains are real and yes, they have been vandalized. Like it or not the reality remains. I preferer a naturally weathered piece but for those who live and die by a prototypical layout the tagged pieces cannot be ignored, unless your layout predates perhaps the 80"s. I would imagine there may have been some tagging during the 70's but perhaps not as prevalent as it is today. In any case, it's the world we live in and from my point of view, yes, I think it's a misdemeanor crime, but it does not affect my life in any way, shape, or form and I will not be losing sleep over something I cannot control. I have a full plate of more pressing matters to deal with.
Ahh yes, the 1980s when roadnames were plentiful, graffiti wasn't trending and crapped up cars were few. Former CNJ yard, Allentown, PA, 08/1980.
The shot brings a smile to me too. There was (and may still be) a railfan spot on River Drive above the yard. I'd just moved to NJ and friends took me to Allentown for the first time and stopped at this spot. Here's another shot, pivoting to the left of the above picture. Those truck frames on the flatcars on the most distant track look just like @BNSF FAN's, recently completed for his N Scale JPT Sub.
Those two Allentown shots are so cool Hardcoaler. Just look at all those interesting freight cars. Love shots like this and yes, those auto frame loads do look a bit familiar
This is an interesting thread and has brought out some strong opinions. Personally I enjoy seeing graffiti on rail cars because there are more than a few gifted artists involved. I photograph a lot of it and hope I can reproduce a facsimile of it on my modeling efforts. It would be part of real world modeling and if you don’t like it that’s fine. Personally while I think some are nothing more than vandalism by people lacking a skill, quite a few are impressive to me and I thinks it’s sad to see so many interesting works get painted over by a few people who see the artist/vandal/whatever you want to call them as scum of the earth. Rick H
Mmmmmmm ,,, the thing that jumps out is everything in his house is squeaky clean , neat and tidy and all in order. Just look at his modelling supplies , very precisely arranged. We can't see the outside of his house but I'm guessing it's neat and tidy too. It appears that standard didn't apply to other peoples or business's stuff.
I think what I really hate about graffiti , besides being ugly , is that for me , it is almost impossible to read .
Mike, you are right. I can't understand what message they are attempting to send. Rather sounds like #45.
Picture this- You have just seen a 100 car train pass by. Every car has been vandalized. Do the math. That is at least ONE MILLION dollars in damage you have just witnessed. This what too many people fail to comprehend.
But on a building it's stationary. On a rail car it gets shown to many more. The pride of being nationally known.
Yep , , and when a 100 car train goes by at a level crossing, each car multiple grafittied, there is probably 500 unique illegible messages. There is not a chance that even 2% are memorable .... even if they were something of note on a drive home through any older industrial / run down area there will be hundreds more illegible messages just drowning out what was seen at the level crossing. The only things memorable is probably a boxcar painted top to bottom with one single design / art / message. ..... and for me in nearly all cases the thought that sticks in my mind is "how" did they manage to complete painting it ?? ........ and not "what" was painted on the boxcar. ....... as I've said before ..... in an alternate universe graffiti artists creep out at night and paint over UP "patches" on tunnel motors making them pristine blood nose schemes again.
Or if you look at it in a different perspective they saved the railroad a million if they now don't have to repaint the car if that was coming due, which isprobably never . I'd imagine the real cost would be if they paint over the bar codes? I've wondered where they get all the paint? A lot of paint to have to try and steal from the local hardware store? Sumner
I often wonder the same thing and wonder where these "artists" find the time to spend hours trespassing in rail yards to perform their "work". Rather than art, I see vandalism, idleness, unemployment and thievery.
Its not necessarily people from low socio economic (poor) areas that are doing this ...... this is a case of people flying interstate , 1000kms , 2000kms to come here and tag trains. They bought the spray paint upon arrival. https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/na...alising-trains-in-ipswich-20130405-2hb3f.html Another I remember (but I'm having trouble finding the particular video) was during floods in Brisbane in 2013. By floods I mean the third largest capital city in Australia went underwater. News reports around the country showed everything stopped including commuter trains parked in unusual places above flood water levels. Within hours people from Victoria and South Australia booked flights to Queensland to come and graffiti trains. From memory the police stated they all had decent jobs too. To put that in a USA perspective imagine Washington D.C. is flooded. People from Fort Lauderdale FL and San Antonio TX book flights, pay for accomodation, rent cars and buy spray paint in a flooded city where the bulk of business's are shut. That takes money !!! Most graffiti is local targets of opportunity where the train comes to the tagger ......... there is also that group that are highly organised with plenty of money to back up an unexpectedly complex effort. A few spray cans is nothing to them........ unfortunately. Some of them also terminate themselves too ............. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_graffiti_and_street_art_injuries_and_deaths
