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Why do all train cars have graffiti?

Railroad graffiti began in earnest during the 1920s and especially the Depression years of the 1930s, as hobos and even some railroad workers made chalk drawings on freight cars to mark their presence. That practice continues in the 21st century; drawings made by “Colossus of Roads” are among the most popular.



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A moniker (also known as a streak, tag, or hobo art) is a piece of graffiti on the side of a freight car on freight trains. Monikers are produced with a solid paint stick, industrial crayon, or a lumber crayon.

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It was based on the idea that if any new or renovated train car was tagged by a graffitist it would be cleaned within 2 hours or removed from service. No graffitist would get up again on a train. By 1989, all cars in the subway system were graffiti-free.

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Though putting graffiti on a train is illegal and dangerous, there are still many railroad cars with graffiti—both new and old. Artists progressed from tagging and creating cool pictures to using their art as a way of providing social and political commentary.

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Trains are more spaced apart In addition, trains are typically spaced much further apart than other modes of transportation, such as cars and buses, which makes it less likely for accidents to occur.

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At a rate of 90 freight cars ransacked per day, Union Pacific estimates that thefts against its trains are up by more than 160 percent over the last year. In the year ending October 2021, the increase was a mind-boggling 356 percent. The scheme is vast but simple.

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Freighthopping or trainhopping is the act of surreptitiously boarding and riding a freightcar, which is usually illegal.

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