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Lagniappe Favorites Collection Railcar Graffiti |
Graffiti, whether it's called art or vandalism, is a fact of modern railroading. But it didn't always look like what we see on the trains passing us today. Railroad graffiti has evolved over the past century and a half from simple chalk marks left by railroad workers to notify other workers of issues to marks left by hobos to vanity tags made in permanent ink to the elaborate and often enormous painted "pieces" (as they're termed by those who create them) of today.
The word "piece" in this context stems from the word "masterpiece" which is meant to indicate that the graffiti is more than just a scribbled name. The graffitist may have taken upwards of a few hours to design the work on paper and then a few more hours to apply the work with spray paint and/or rollers to the chosen location. Beginning in the early 1970s, the simple signature tags evolved into the more complex styles that are now seen. This was partly a result of so many similar tags being applied that the graffitists started to write their tags with larger characters and larger pens, then adding outlines and other flourishes to them in order to distinguish their tags from the multitude of others around them.
All graffiti photos below taken by Ralph Hawkins unless otherwise indicated
Graffiti Pieces
New Castle, Pa / Sep 2017 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Sep 2017 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Sep 2017 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Sep 2017 / RWH
Alliance, Oh / Feb 2016 / RWH
Alliance, Oh / Feb 2016 / RWH
Alliance, Oh / Feb 2016 / RWH
Duncansville, Pa / Feb 2016 / RWH
Duncansville, Pa / Feb 2016 / RWH
Duncansville, Pa / Feb 2016 / RWH
Duncansville, Pa / Feb 2016 / RWH
Austintown, Oh / Jan 2016 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Jan 2016 / RWH
Wheatland, Pa / Jan 2016 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Jan 2016 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Jan 2016 / RWH
Holly Springs, Ms / Dec 2015 / RWH
Holly Springs, Ms / Dec 2015 / RWH
Holly Springs, Ms / Dec 2015 / RWH
Jackson, Ms / Dec 2015 / RWH
Jackson, Ms / Dec 2015 / RWH
Jackson, Ms / Dec 2015 / RWH
Jackson, Ms / Dec 2015 / RWH
Jackson, Ms / Dec 2015 / RWH
Jackson, Ms / Dec 2015 / RWH
Holly Springs, Ms / Dec 2015 / RWH
Holly Springs, Ms / Dec 2015 / RWH
Jackson, Ms / Dec 2015 / RWH
Jackson, Ms / Dec 2015 / RWH
Fluker, La / Dec 2015 / RWH
Fluker, La / Dec 2015 / RWH
Jackson, Ms / Dec 2015 / RWH
Jackson, Ms / Dec 2015 / RWH
Jackson, Ms / Dec 2015 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Oct 2015 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Oct 2015 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Oct 2015 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Oct 2015 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Oct 2015 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Oct 2015 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Oct 2015 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Oct 2015 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Sep 2015 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Sep 2015 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Sep 2015 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Sep 2015 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Sep 2015 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Sep 2015 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Sep 2015 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Sep 2015 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Sep 2015 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Sep 2015 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Sep 2015 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Sep 2015 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Sep 2015 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Sep 2015 / RWH
Bellevue, Oh / Dec 2014 / RWH
Bellevue, Oh / Dec 2014 / RWH
Bellevue, Oh / Dec 2014 / RWH
Bellevue, Oh / Dec 2014 / RWH
Bellevue, Oh / Dec 2014 / RWH
Alliance, Oh / Jul 2014 / RWH
Alliance, Oh / Jul 2014 / RWH
Alliance, Oh / Jul 2014 / RWH
Alliance, Oh / Jul 2014 / RWH
Alliance, Oh / Jul 2014 / RWH
Alliance, Oh / Jul 2014 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Nov 2012 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Jul 2011 / RWH
Epworth, Oh / Dec 2010 / RWH
Epworth, Oh / Dec 2010 / RWH
West Salem, Oh / Dec 2010 / RWH
Characters
Boxcar Boy
New Castle, Pa / Sep 2015 / RWH
Angry Root Beer
New Castle, Pa / Sep 2015 / RWH
Unemployed
New Castle, Pa / Sep 2015 / RWH
Golden West Louie
collection
Dixie Rebel / Sweet Pickle
Holly Springs, Ms / Dec 2015 / RWH
Boxcar Boyfriend
Holly Springs, Ms / Dec 2015 / RWH
Boxcar Girlfriend
Holly Springs, Ms / Dec 2015 / RWH
David Joseph Monster
New Castle, Pa / Jan 2016 / RWH
Chickenhawk
North Lima, Oh / Jan 2016 / RWH
Martian with a Gun
Meridian, MS / Dec 2016 / RWH
Nowhere Specific Lines
New Castle, Pa / Sep 2017 / RWH
Natasha
New Castle, Pa / Sep 2017 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Sep 2017 / RWH
New Castle, Pa / Sep 2017 / RWH
Covered Hopper Christ
New Castle, Pa / Sep 2017 / RWH
The Easter Bunny
New Castle, Pa / Sep 2017 / RWH
Philosopher
New Castle, Pa / Sep 2017 / RWH
Links / Sources
- The Evolution Of Railroad Graffiti - The Rip Track
- Train Graffiti And Its Long, Strange, Thoroughly American Lineage - Andy Sturdevant
- Railroad Graffiti: Close-Up - Trains Magazine