"Art is anything you can get away with" - A. Warhol
Graffiti is not art, it is vandalism plain and simple.
I totally agree, I refuse to let this on my Railroad, after all, "IT IS MY RAILROAD".
Ray
Easy: wipe out or weather! I hate that on the side too. When I get a car, that won't be on it long.
It depends what one is trying to accomplish.
Why the existence of graffiti on model RRs is so offensive to some modelers is beyond me. It's a fact of life in the real world. If you're modeling the modern era it seems ubiquitous!
I don't much like dirt either, but shiny, new rail cars and locomotives are the exception, not the rule.
That said, only a few object to weathering . . . but mention putting graffiti on a car and . . . it hits the fan.
Weathering is fine but for me graffiti is a no no. It is vandalism, a crime and please don't give me it is art.
It may be part of every day life now a days but it is a disgusting site.
We as a group should never accept vandalism and I will never promote it on my layout.
I have a graffiti rock. If you ever suggest " graffiti cars" you can sign it.
....What? You think I'm kidding? 
And on the other hand, a thought: A visit to a railyard by Banksy and you'd likely have a protoype graffiti car sold at a good profit.
Boilermaker1 posted:If the issue is the "BLT" date is inaccurate for the car, there's only one instance where that bothered me. MTH did a run of Sherman tanks on flat cars, the tanks were done in winter camo, and the cars had built dates in the early-mid 50's. That bugged me, but it was the included accessory that pointed out the issue.
Keep in mind, the National Guard was using Shermans well into the 50s. Even the line units in the Army kept them until after Korea, when the M26s finally replaced them.
Modeling a scale railroad is nothing more than picking an era in time and building upon that era and having fun doing it. I've seen layout's with graffiti, brothel's and hobo camps to name a few and I don't see the builder as promoting these types of lifestyles just because they're on his layout. All I see is a replica of that era and a good one at that. Let's just say it adds flavor to an otherwise bland pot of stew.
fmbugman posted:Lionel of course makes it almost impossible to use any of their cars on a "realistic" layout for two reasons 1) "Built by Lionel" I can only assume Lionel is right next to Lima but it may be closer to the Pullman factory. 2) Lionel and some others then put the year they built the car on it. A 1989 cattle car for the Pennsy!?!? So much is wrong there. 3) Almost no puts the BLT year on their information about the car so if you are striving or a layout that runs 1927-1948 and time is running out on that bargain sale better make a guess as to what the BLT year is. Can MTH and Lionel and all o the others start posting that in their catalogs a bit more prominently please?
Easy solution - don't buy their cars.
Or is it just me?
Could be......or maybe not, but then again if you choose to buy stuff that frustrates you....then it is you, 
Time to get over it son.
When it is on a Lionel car it doesn't bother me. I also run accurate looking cars marked Lionel Lines. It is part of the heritage of the hobby.
For other manufacturers it is an issue. Especially when the manufacturer decorates a car with a scheme from the 1920s or 1930s and then slaps a date on it from the 1950s. Yes it is a double standard.
