Any of you modern guys run graffiti laden cars or consists?

  I am trying to locate an artist to graffiti some of my stuff..it is real world.

I don't run it, but it always grabs me when I see it real world.  I know it's defacement, but some of the graffiti is wild! Also, the new Lionel RTR Batman set has graffiti right out of the box and does look pretty cool.

If only that time and those resources & materials were put to good, productive use.

I remember a couple of years ago someone was selling graffiti decals.  Maybe these are still available for sale? 

Jim

I have done a few using decals.........  as stated, it is the real world and when I weather modern cars,  it gives it that realistic finish.   I don't like the idea of encouraging graffiti but I keep them to myself for the most part (note the absence of photos here )

Mark

Not at all......

Peter

I'll third it (can you do that?). Some of these folks are really talented. Too bad it's wasted on defacing buildings and rail road cars. If they put that to doing something constructive they could do some amazing work.

I don't do that to any of my trains. I still like my trains nice, new and shiny as in right our of the box. I've seen some incredible weathering around here, but that is not yet for me, just can't do that to a nice new car or engine. Maybe someday?

Not on my railroad. It is criminal and not art.

I have a set. Ended up selling the car I was planning to put them on.

Gilly

Modeling graffiti on rail cars/buildings/etc:

It's your miniature world, trash it up/screw it up if you want to.

O scale graffiti decals.

I have a bunch of sheets of them. I've also made my own from photos I've taken of real cars.

In the future, I would do my printing on white water slide paper and not clear. Two reasons: First it is the easiest way to get white lettering. Second, it makes the colors stand out better on any color of car because they are opaque. Decals printed on clear need light colored cars to look decent.

That's a very good point. Modeling is about replicating the real world in miniature.

Morality loses out to fidelity in my world.

OK,  guess I won't keep it to myself............  nothing we can do to stop the weathering guys,  unfortunately.   Here is a photo of one of the decal sets available (or it was about 10 years or so ago when I did this one)  : 

I think this is somewhat a generational thing..........  my daughter likes them weathered since that is what she is used to seeing on the RR today.  It is all she has ever known so it seems right to the eye.  Obviously it is wrong to deface private property and it was a good discussion to help her understand that.  But as toys,  some like them too look more realistic with all the weathering and graffiti and some like em factory fresh.

Point was made and I agree,  an all perfect train,  looks more like a toy to me.   Nothing wrong with it,  I just like to model the real thing if/when possible.

In my fantasy world it doesn't exist in any form. I have a 'killroy' on a WWII era box car. Those were chalk and didn't deface private property.

I've always thought of it as part of the vandalism problem the railroads deal with.  Never gave it any thought to include it on my layout...

TAKES TALENT I DO NOT POSSESS

I have been seeing a lot of action on the UP railroad coming thru Alpine, TX (Sunset Route) lately.  It seems strange to me that fans cannot get access to yards since 9-11, but graffiti artists seem to have FULL access.  I can't remember seeing so much paint on almost every boxcar, mech reefer, etc.  It is difficult to see such a car that doesn't have "murals" and messages on it.  If a person is modeling today's corporate railroads, they would HAVE to put graffiti on 80% of the consist.

As prevalent as graffiti might be, I won't put it on any of my rolling stock or locomotives.

is there any theme to the graffiti? religious, gang, sexual, down here in rural NC just do not see it, only stuff we see is on TV

curious

would imagine in the south west it would be latino

east coast as in NJ, NY, Mass latin and black??

the comment about too much time on their hands is quite correct, but according to the President the job situation is getting much much better, and they should be at work unless the pres is not telling it right??

Right in the middle of St Paul, I-94 passes under the CP tracks. The same cut of gray 3 bay ACF hoppers has been sitting for at least 3 months. Target of opportunity!!!

DaVinci probably painted the Mona Lisa in less time.

There are many kinds of graffiti, always have been. The large colorful ones are not usually done by gangs. They are simply the modern version of Kilroy in a more permanent medium. Doesn't everyone want to be famous?

 This guy does! I seriously doubt he belongs to a gang.

I love this one, and want to use it on one of my cars. It's rather funny.

After a few hours with Corel Photohouse the image is clean and ready to print.

This one is political. I had to sanitize it for the forum.

How long did this take? Can you even buy a canvas this size?

I have hundreds more photos. I've only done a few cars so far, but have plans to do a lot more.

A number of years back, one of our OGR members painted up some cars with graffiti.  The work was superb.  The poor guys was blasted 7 ways to Sunday for promoting vandalism and so on.  I will not mention his handle, however, if he desires to jump in and show his work would be great.

I myself do not have cars with graffiti or weathering effects nor do I plan on doing so in the future.  I greatly respect those who wish to create/recreate realism on their layouts.   All of these varying points and takes of things are what make this hobby so fascinating.  

I personally don't have it on any of my rolling stock or engines, it's not my thing.

No, don't personally like it and would not promote this activity in any way.

Yes I Do....

The only graffiti cars I run are factory made Lionel 2-bay covered hoppers that came that way.  I like them both, but that is enough graffiti for me.

6-17013 in NYC...graffiti reads "99...LIONEL RULES..."

6-17014 in Golden West Service...graffiti read "LLC  FOREVER YOUNG"

I would send it to the paint shop.

Ray

Lionel's new auto carriers make a good canvas.

I recall when a new guy joined the forum and showed a lot of scale cars with graffiti had had applied. Maybe a few members came down on him harshly but overall many of us just added that we thought it was wrong on real rail cars.

But as for chasing him off I kinda doubt that. All his work was for sale on ebay and never saw any layout or talk of one.

He had talent.....and if he had used a canvas considered an artist. But a art form that almost insists it can only exist as a form of trespassing and vandalism.....we are the wrong audience.   

I agree that graffiti on trains is vandalism.

That being said I don't think portraying on a model encourages it.

If I am modelling what I see in real life in a freight yard, I might have a couple cars with some graffiti on them.

When I am on road trips in the middle of nowhere and stop to take pictures or trains coming by, the camera invariably picks up some cars in the background with the so called art work.  

II'm not going to worry about it if I include  a graffitied car on my layout.  

Even though I know it is today's real world, I am trying to mainly model the 1960's and it wasn't prevalent then.  I do run modern trains, but dislike graffiti and chose not to add it to my trains.

Art

A business acquaintance of mine had a son who got picked up for applying graffiti to railcars. Were talking a country/rural kid who I believe was sort of a failed art student. I think he was applying graffiti and others were doing some vandalizing.

He was bored. Fines, legal fees, community service, criminal record was the result. 

I'm not what I would call an artist but I do have a BFA and taught in art school.

Not a fan of graffiti one bit. I see loads of it daily. 

Hate the look altogether.  You couldn't pay me to have cars with graffiti on my layout.  Real world or not.   Why encourage such a senseless activity?  

David 

Now try selling them.  

David