How does Amtrak keep their fleet graffiti free?

Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum

Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Status
Not open for further replies.

rms492

Service Attendant
Joined
Mar 22, 2009
Messages
214
How does Amtrak keep their fleet graffiti free?

Unlike the freight trains, I almost never have seen graffiti on the outside of any Amtrak train.

Is this because there are passengers on board, and the people doing the graffiti might get witnessed by the passengers?

But what about when Amtrak stores their equipment in the yards overnite between runs?
 
All superliners, viewliners, heritage and amfleets are coated with a spray coating manufactured by Dupont called Amflon. Very similair to Teflon as used in a frying pan. Any foreign substance will not adhere and will be washed off during the next rainstorm. I tried to stick gum to a superliner exterior and it would not stick.
 
How does Amtrak keep their fleet graffiti free?

Unlike the freight trains, I almost never have seen graffiti on the outside of any Amtrak train.

Is this because there are passengers on board, and the people doing the graffiti might get witnessed by the passengers?

But what about when Amtrak stores their equipment in the yards overnite between runs?

It is tough to hit a moving target and the way the equipment is utilized, they barely have time in the yard! Especially the late arriving, short turning long distance trains! :giggle: :help: :hi:
 
and here I was going to go with vicious attack attack dogs waiting to feast on any unauthorized person who dare enter the yards. :giggle:
 
Amtrak sometimes gets graffiti on their trains. Here is a picture of a heritage diner I took passing the Chicago yards while on the California Zephyr.

DSC_0026e.jpg
 
You keep something moving enough, in a security area, or both and you just don't get the time to do it.

Look how extremely rare a tagged automobile is. They're moving so much and the chance of being caught are extremely high, so its not worth trying for it. I can't even conceptualize a tagged airliner!
 
This is how:

acelagraffittijune62005.jpg


Basically scrub and possibly repaint.
 
There are a bunch of boatloads more freight railroad cars than there are passenger railroad cars.

If you ever get the chance drive the 200 or so miles of US Highway 60 across New Mexico between I-25 and Clovis.

Lots of freight cars are stored along there. That's part of the Southern Transcon and US-60 runs near the tracks for quite a way.

The Transcon is one of the most heavily trafficked rail corridors in the western United States. An average of almost 90 trains daily (over 100 trains on peak days) pass over the section between Belen and Clovis, New Mexico, each train typically 6000 to 8000 feet (1800 to 2400 meters) in length.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
and here I was going to go with vicious attack attack dogs waiting to feast on any unauthorized person who dare enter the yards. :giggle:
Just put some Snipers with scoped long range rifles in high towers and the problem will end FAST :D
What is it with you and casual bloodlust? Were you beaten senseless for scribbling on the wall as a child?
 
Basically the fleet is mostly kept moving vis-a-vis freight cars, which can end up being sporadically idled for a few weeks or months on sidings. Additionally, I don't think the freights tend to be as set on keeping the cars cleaned up...especially given that many of the cars aren't even theirs (and why would CSXT care if a TTX car gets marked up, so long as the reporting code is visible?). Note that tagging does seem to be more common on cars than on locomotives (which the freights, I suspect, care about).
 
I think there are a couple of factors involved here - some of which have already been mentioned.

(BTW, in 10+ years in this forum, this is probably the first original idea for a post that I've seen in a LONG time!)

Yeah - trains that move don't get tagged. Trains with people on them don't get tagged. Trains in secure yards tend not to get tagged.

Interestingly, I find that there are more and more freight trains that I see that aren't tagged, either.

I think it comes down to the "Disneyland" philosophy that has also worked well on the NYC Subways - A clean car is more likely to remain clean than one that's already been vandalized.

In other words, Disney practically has a custodian walking behind every guest to capture each spec of popcorn that misses your mouth. Trash cans are located within about 50 paces from anywhere in the park, because research told them that if people have to walk further to find one, they'll more likely litter.

When things are kept nice, it takes a lot more hardened criminal to vandalize it than just the average hoodlum.
 
I think there are a couple of factors involved here - some of which have already been mentioned.

(BTW, in 10+ years in this forum, this is probably the first original idea for a post that I've seen in a LONG time!)

Yeah - trains that move don't get tagged. Trains with people on them don't get tagged. Trains in secure yards tend not to get tagged.

Interestingly, I find that there are more and more freight trains that I see that aren't tagged, either.

I think it comes down to the "Disneyland" philosophy that has also worked well on the NYC Subways - A clean car is more likely to remain clean than one that's already been vandalized.

In other words, Disney practically has a custodian walking behind every guest to capture each spec of popcorn that misses your mouth. Trash cans are located within about 50 paces from anywhere in the park, because research told them that if people have to walk further to find one, they'll more likely litter.

When things are kept nice, it takes a lot more hardened criminal to vandalize it than just the average hoodlum.
I'm not sure it's that simple.

For some, squeaky cleanliness may unleash a stronger urge to do something about it than something that is already looking at heel.

But what I think what matters most is exposure. Graffiti sprayers actually want their work to be seen. Some even take photos and share these on social media. They don't do it just for the joy of spraying, but because they want people to see their work and maybe even react.

If somebody washes it all off on the very say day, few people will have seen it and the sprayers feel they are wasting their time and efforts..
 
Last edited by a moderator:
But what I think what matters most is exposure. Graffiti sprayers actually want their work to be seen. Some even take photos and share these on social media. They don't do it just for the joy of spraying, but because they want people to see their work and maybe even react. If somebody washes it all off on the very say day, few people will have seen it and the sprayers feel they are wasting their time and efforts.
Can anyone actually read any of it? Big billowy letters squished together like over-stressed balloons or exaggerated angular letters smashed into a mess of indecipherable colors and shapes. Maybe one out of a hundred tags shows any indication of latent artistic talent. Looks like a bunch of meaningless gibberish to me. I'm curious how many taggers manage to parlay their delinquency into some sort of artistic career. Perhaps I shall have to visit one of their exhibitions as a bucket list item. I may even bring a can of spray paint with me. Muahahaha! :ph34r:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I don't think it's particularly about a "career" for most street artists. At least, not a career in terms of getting paid to do it. Banksy's street art has garnered him attention, and he has subsequently made a lot of money on prints or smaller original works that he does sell. But I think most street artists just do it because they want to show their creativity in a way that everyday people will see, people who don't frequent art galleries. (Gang tagging is a different thing, of course.) I'm not advocating painting on property that doesn't belong to you without permission, but I like looking at painted freight cars and backs of warehouses along the tracks. It's one reason I love taking trains.
 
For the most part, yards are secure enough because there is someone there 24/7 keeping an eye on things (Conductors, Engineers, Mechanical, Cleaners, etc.). In outlying locations, sets usually have shorter layovers, and Mechanical Contractors are with the equipment the entire time.
 
But what I think what matters most is exposure. Graffiti sprayers actually want their work to be seen. Some even take photos and share these on social media. They don't do it just for the joy of spraying, but because they want people to see their work and maybe even react. If somebody washes it all off on the very say day, few people will have seen it and the sprayers feel they are wasting their time and efforts.
Can anyone actually read any of it? Big billowy letters squished together like over-stressed balloons or exaggerated angular letters smashed into a mess of indecipherable colors and shapes. Maybe one out of a hundred tags shows any indication of latent artistic talent. Looks like a bunch of meaningless gibberish to me. I'm curious how many taggers manage to parlay their delinquency into some sort of artistic career. Perhaps I shall have to visit one of their exhibitions as a bucket list item. I may even bring a can of spray paint with me. Muahahaha! :ph34r:
Banksy
 
But what I think what matters most is exposure. Graffiti sprayers actually want their work to be seen. Some even take photos and share these on social media. They don't do it just for the joy of spraying, but because they want people to see their work and maybe even react. If somebody washes it all off on the very say day, few people will have seen it and the sprayers feel they are wasting their time and efforts.
Can anyone actually read any of it? Big billowy letters squished together like over-stressed balloons or exaggerated angular letters smashed into a mess of indecipherable colors and shapes. Maybe one out of a hundred tags shows any indication of latent artistic talent. Looks like a bunch of meaningless gibberish to me. I'm curious how many taggers manage to parlay their delinquency into some sort of artistic career. Perhaps I shall have to visit one of their exhibitions as a bucket list item. I may even bring a can of spray paint with me. Muahahaha! :ph34r:
Banksy
Id class Banksy and his ilk as urban artists who are producing masterpieces and using graffiti as their medium. I love his political anti British establishment messages carried in many of his works.

However the majority of graffiti is not art and carries no political or social message.
 
Id class Banksy and his ilk as urban artists who are producing masterpieces and using graffiti as their medium. I love his political anti British establishment messages carried in many of his works.

However the majority of graffiti is not art and carries no political or social message.
"Artists" buy their canvases.

If you don't own it, or haven't been hired by the man who owns it, you're a vandal. No more, no less.
 
Id class Banksy and his ilk as urban artists who are producing masterpieces and using graffiti as their medium. I love his political anti British establishment messages carried in many of his works.

However the majority of graffiti is not art and carries no political or social message.
"Artists" buy their canvases.

If you don't own it, or haven't been hired by the man who owns it, you're a vandal. No more, no less.
Yet when a business wakes up and finds a "Banksy" on the wall of their property rather than wash it off most will get it a protective screen put up to protect it so people can come and admire the work? Some people have even been known to cut a hole in their wall out so they can sell the work.

Hardly seems like his work is unwanted and classed as vandalism
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top