I remember visiting New York in 1987 and was waiting for a subway train late at night, and I remember thinking that the opposite wall looked incredibly dirty, being totally covered with graffiti. Then it started to move, and I realized it was a train . . . .

I'm from NYC, I'm glad we are past the era of graffiti subway cars, nowadays it is super rare to see subway graffiti IRL except on the news. The only things I've seen are just little scribbles inside or etched, scratched windows

I know a local tagger here in Edmonton who's been in the game a long time. She's told me that in the last decade or so the culture of tagging freight cars has gotten more respectful on each side of the fence. According to her artists actively avoid painting over car information and company logos now, and artists in the community that do are given a lot of shit. In return railroads let it stay up on an unofficial basis as long as its art and not just quick tags. This is just coming from one source though so it might not be super accurate.

I have noticed that even in Germany, graffiti painters have even targeted the ICE trains for some time too. One person has even got creative and decided to blend in his creations with the existing design of the ICE.

This is actually super faithful to the subculture, all pretty spot on info. I like how you don't just immediately dismiss graffiti as "dirty" and "bad" like a lot of other railfans do. Also love the Jet Set Radio soundtrack

Who would’ve thought that subway graffiti would become a worldwide phenomenon

On its own I don’t have too much of an issue with graffiti anymore. Some people make whole art pieces while others just tag, the spectrum is wild! Never really guessed the movement started in New York, despite horror stories from my parents about how bad the graffiti was in the subways when they were first built. As long as it doesn’t cover anything like the car number and reporting marks; it’s fine. Railroads don’t exactly pay for most of their cars to be “clean” anyway these days so glad someone else gets some artistic use from them.

I remember the first time I saw graffiti on a train… In my home state of Western Australia, we don’t get as much of a “Canvas” for artists in terms of rolling stock, as the freight trains are simply limited to Iron Ore, Coal, and grain hoppers, or Container freight. These days this type of freight is mainly handled by Aurizon or WA’s farmers co-operative group CBH who run the grain trains primarily with their own engines And like the reasons you stated here, it was common place for the freight trains to be standing still for large periods of time, particularly in the outer suburbs of Perth, Geraldton and other regional centres. Hence, the Iron Ore hoppers and Grain hoppers run by Aurizon and CBH have become accustomed to being graffitied, which exposes peoples artwork to those who see the trains pass through their towns, or to all the Farmers and CBH workers at the grain silos. CBH have combatted this, as have Aurizon, cleaning up their cars at least once per season/year. It’s not exactly a common sight up on the Karara line anymore, but in places further south along Ex-Midland Railway trackage it’s still a common sight, especially around Towns like Moora, Northam and others I first saw such art around 2013-14 period when these grain cars were being shifted up north in preparation for the grain season from Perth, which is where people out in the regions got their own ideas Recently however, CBH has actually encouraged graffiti on their grain cars to promote rail-safe messaging so long as they don’t cover up important information about the hopper.

I'm gonna be honest, some graffiti of some of this equipment is actually really good. Despite being illegal, Great video!

Thanks AmtrakGuy365 for making this video when my parents were growing up they used to see graffiti on subway cars these days they’re pretty rare but I’ve seen some new subway cars with graffiti

I heard from my brother in law who's from Western North Carolina that Asheville had such a bad tagging problem that they bought a small section of yard from NS, got them to put old cars there, and for a small fee and a permit, you could tag away on cars in that area of the yard

As someone living in NYC, I think as long as graffiti isn't on the windows, doors, or important vents/lights its fine, especially because I hate how boring modern NYC subway cars look without any liveries. I also don't love if it's inside the train, unless it's really small and the train isn't covered in graffiti. It's a really cool art form though and I wish more people appreciated it.

The amount of graffiti here in the UK on trains is generally dependent on where the trains are berthed, and how bad that area is (the presence of 750V third rail doesn't seem to deter them in South London). Also it seems to be an issue in Germany; I recall seeing footage of a Munich based class 423 EMU that had been effectively repainted blue, windows and all.

During WW2 in Europe railroad workers and soldiers would write “Kilroy was here” and a head with a long nose on USATC locomotive’s and rolling stock.

I personally don’t mind as long as the equipment is not anything like a coach I like seeing art on boxcars it gives it a nice look sometimes the art is really good and it’s hard not to enjoy it

Some railfans biggest pet peeves

Very interesting. Thanks for the video, I learned some new info about the correlation between graffiti and the rise of street art.

Working in a small railyard I see plenty of cool spray paint and chalk tags.

As a railfan, I’ve only seen a few graffiti-free freight cars. Some people go out of their way to paint rail equipment, the most ridiculous one I’ve seen was the UP Rail Beast. I even saw a picture of a UP heritage unit with a tag on it.

I use to be a manager at a class 1 I still regretting to this day I didn't take more photos of tagged cars. Could habe made an epic coffee table book.

This is also quite big here in britain as well. I remember seeing multiple aggregate trains that cut through my town have graffiti on several wagons. Passenger trains rarely if ever get any.

Whenever I see a freight train and I don't spot any graffiti on the freight cars passing by, I always feel as if something crucial is absent. Also, I freakin' adore the Team Fabulous 2 reference: 4:55

I found this very interesting. I'm against graffiti because it's vandalism and illegal but at the same time too, I, as someone who is an artist, find some of it very interesting and rather impressive. Ever since I've started doing hand painted graffiti and street art on some of my HO-Scale trains, I've been kind of amazed by some of the graffiti and street art out there. I'm definitely not in favor of it but at the same time too, it's kind of cool to see some of the work these artists do.

Two interesting things - Bomb the Suburbs is a great books on this topic, and renown artist Keith Haring got his start as a subway "artist".

I like this video, Amtrak guy 365 always fail to Disappoint, and Always Succeed at making us EnterTRAINED.

I honestly dig most of the art you see on trains these days. Saw one the other day of Bart Simpson

4:54 I loved the Team Fabulous 2 reference.

This was really well done, thank you!

Great little topic, nice work with this. I kinda forgot how relatively recent the whole graffiti movement is.

Never would I have expected this video to be created and shared by this channel. Thank you Jared.

I love how he can take any subject and make it about trains!

I enjoyed this video that you’ve put together! I would like and hope you would do something like this in the future but it’s ok if you choose not too. Graffiti is form a art which I can behind. It allows you to express yourself via putting graffiti as a way of expression and showing messages through your art, however, it still sets a dangerous precedent since it encourages ppl to essentially vandalize the subway while doing so at least in my mind. Great video, btw 👍.

I'm loving these short videos great info in a shot time keep it up :)

Graffiti especially on freight cars, gives a sense of identity as there was this one autorack train car that was in the rail yard for weeks that I recognize because it has the word "SPACE" graffitied on the side.

This feels more like a history of graffiti than trains, it’s very very fascinating tho!

Wonderful video! As a NY’er it’s nice to see our grimy trains of old in one of your excellent vids lol

Yeah, graffiti is a classic sight on Australian railcars our very common grain hoppers are often coated in tags

I remember as a kid in the 80s and 90s traveling alot on trains and seeing graffiti all along the rails. My dad didn't like it at all. To be fair he had reasons not to like it. He was a firefighter and picked up parts of kids that got injured/killed from trains. My brother who works the rails doesn't like it either for the same reason. When you see what a train can do to a human it changes one mind towards graffiti. As for me I think some of the works are nice but it's not worth the risk loosing ones life for some art work.

0:55 Lovin the DKC music!

I saw the preview on twitter and this is great

You covered quite a bit in such a short amount of time well done.

I hit the subscribe button as soon as I hear the Jet Grind Radio music reference!

The Team Fabulous 2 reference goes hard, bonus points for funny Azumanga.

I work for the Oregon Steel mill an I see tons of graffiti on railcars but most of its either ugly or amateur but, I've seen a few beautiful tags an murals an I seem to be the only one at work who admire the tag an progress of getting better at the art!

4:55 love the kitty0706 reference

Another great video, thanks!

4:57 a wild Osaka appears

I shudder to think of the sheer amount of people who have gotten killed while trespassing on railroad property for the sake of these tags…

I love that last sentiment, the art out in the real world for everyone to see. My dad subscribes to the idea that real art is only in a gallery.

Ayy! JSRF music! Nice song choice for graffiti haha

Really well done video

This is vandelism plain and simple.

Let's do this.. or not. I love these videos! Thanks!

great video 👍😮

5:00 OSAKA?!?!

The Jet Set Radio music was a nice touch.

Could you imagine if taggers started spaying "Union Pacific," "BNSF," "CSX," etc. in graffiti style all over cars?

I think it would be interesting to see like railroad oriented graffiti. Like a stylized locomotive or something on a car.

Painting the trains white is just like giving us a new canvas

I found cookie monster graffiti on one of the trains I saw. Its the Boston and Albany one if you want to see it.

Great video! One of my favorite things about American trains is the graffiti I see on them. So many amazing pieces of work, seeing a train go by can be like viewing a mobile art gallery, I love it! One thing I'd have added is that even some model train manufacturers are now producing models of rolling stock that have actual graffiti on them (literally the same graffiti that's on the real car with the same road##). Which I think is really cool too.

I like that Scout from TF2 was in this.

Great video

Just looked at the layout&the tag'rs have hit again lol🚂🇨🇦🇺🇲🚃🎨🖌

4:59 YOOO ITS OSAKA!!!

This is some great facts about subway graffiti especially New York

Nowadays, Union Pacific crew members put SP or SSW dirt graffiti initials (enscribed within the dirt by using their fingers) on the dirty locomotives used on the Sunset Route. What's more interesting, is how some repainted ex-SP units even receive a nice little homage to their previous number (such as SP #146).

Jet Set Radioooooooo!

Great video as always! As someone who lives in NYC, it's always a shame I never really grew up in the era of big subway tagging. It always seemed so interesting and fun, and it helped artists who may not have had much exposure get their work to others. It's always a treat to me personally to see the odd bit of graffiti on subway cars today, even if it is just a small sticker or a simple tag. Adds more life and soul to the boring grays and blacks of subway cars, and makes for a more interesting look than the copious advertisements lining the car interiors.

I'm a MoPac fan, so I'm familiar with Bozo Texino and Herbie. According to one MoPac fansite, Herbie was a car inspector who worked for the Alton & Southern, a terminal railroad owned jointly by the MoPac and Cotton Belt. Back in the days before computers, car inspectors would scrawl things on the side of railcars after they finished inspecting them. Herbie got creative and began doodling a little man sleeping under a palm tree while wearing a sombrero on the cars he inspected.

I also noticed any car that was tagged with someone who had skill dare not cover the car ID or make something super offensive, there for insuring work lasts longer.

I have seen a freight train that just sits there, and I admire the art when I pass it

I always did kinda like certain graffiti since I've seen it on freight my whole life, I'm not too crazy about the smaller tags, although I have seen some pretty creative little tags, it can be pretty cool, it's nice to hear artists have been trying to leave car info untouched too. Although in certain cases seeing older and rarer freight tagged to shit kinda sucks, I guess it makes clean survivors cooler to see though.

My dad hates graffiti on freight cars but I love it, it makes it less boring as you wait for the train to get out of the way

CSX is actually pretty good with graffiti, Railpool boxcars and branded CSX stock is usually pretty clean, even shiny sometimes. Though when its some leasing company or a BNSF grain hopper, they are absolutely covered. Weirdly enough, old railcars like Conrail Autoracks have no graffiti at all, which is crazy to think about. I always love seeing boxcars painted just to piss off foamers.

There is some Graffiti out there that is absolutely amazing so much so that it's kept arond or gets enough attention in the world to become model pieces for hobbiest. Then there is stuff that's pretty lewd or in bad taste that almost always gets removed immediately. There is this one tag that Ive grown to know for years of a Monkey with a cigar on the Maryland Midland Cement cars. Absolutely love seeing those once in a while. Even saw a coal train on CSX where every car had a mini penguin next to the road numbers.

Some graffiti looks amazing, but those that just write their name in a thin line or paint over every window on a train car are assholes.

I say that all graffiti does (as long as it doesn’t cover information on the car) is make a boring brick interesting, and give it an extra layer of paint.

3:01 John Lindsay Declares War On Graffiti

There was a beautiful portrait of Marge Simpson on a railcar I saw roll through Metro Chicago. Freakin awesome.

I’ve actually noticed a bunch of tanker and grain cars with grattifi on them a few times before.

pretty informative video. Do you have a list or sources or something? I'd like to read more

Personally myself I both love graffiti and a railfan so to see a railfan talk about graffiti history is very cool

Personally, I love to see railroad graffiti, it gives personality to rolling stock

Amazing Intro

I honestly think that the graffiti adds “character” to the subway instead of just bland silver subway cars.

I always thought the MTA should set aside one set of subway cars and invite artists to paint them, but with material covering up the windows, marker lights, and all other safety equipment. Would need to set some ground rules about graphic art or cursing, but most tag artists seem to be interested in leaving their name so that probably wouldn't be an issue. "Put your talents here instead."

From what I’ve heard theres a sort of code within the graffiti art movement AGAINST tagging the important info, all that aside though-very interesting little tidbit

I see freight train 🚃 pieces all the time here in Boston

6:50 even the New York City subway is still falling victim to it

i wonder why most old pics/footages of tagged subway trains are on the A division?

the fact that I got an ad about Graffiti Remover when I clicked on this video is funny

5:04 where is this video from!? I must see that

Came back after the MTA's new R211s just got graffiti'd just a month after arriving, and now they had to waste money repainting them. Definitely came out of the taxpayers' pockets.

Very informative! Railroad graffiti is interesting to see, and sometimes I pay more attention to the art than the train I was watching in the first place. You’re less likely to see the same artwork twice

Curious question but was have graffiti artists restrict them self to fright cars and not on passenger cars and Locomotives?

I talked to a guy in Durand that made graffiti decals for model trains.

Is that a kitty0706 callback at 4:57?

No lie, I KCS autorack tagged with: "I think Toy Story 3 wasn't Good"

It's kind of funny how hard it is to find a clean, non-graffitied freight car 🤣