I just wonder…
On the front cover photo of this issue the scene is obvious set to transition era, and that’s nice to me. But in the lower right corner of the photo there is some ‘modern’ tagging on the wall.
Is this realistic if the scene should be around 1950–1955?
Anyone out there knowing their tagging history lessons[:D]?
The front cover of what issue? Of what are you speaking, sir.
Mark
Sir!
I am sorry ([:I]) I meant the special Issue “How To Build Realistic Layouts: Trackside town and city scenery” from Model Railroader Magazine.
Olav
Yeah, that looks like some tagging. I suppose it’s not too far fetched- I mean, there’s a paint shop pretty close nearby. Maybe some employees got bored. [;)]
Tagging history for 1950-55 is as follows:
Cops catch you - if not your friends tell on you.
Cops beat the XXX out of you.
Your parents then REALLY beat the XXX out of you.
You clean/fix/repaint the offended area.
You NEVER do it again!!! [swg]
[:D] OK I know it’s Friday!!
Let me rephrase my Q, was that kind of tagging common in the 1950–1955 period, or is the tagging itself with a too new style here?
The reason for asking is just that it is the small detuils that can destroy a scene…
Ivanhen: Good point, every time I see you, you are behind bars (or is it me that is looking out on you (?) ) … Have you tagged again?
Ya that scene is kinda messed up. The ads on the retaining wall are both c.1890-1900. The “tagging” graffiti is c.1970’s or later, and the “peace” sign wouldn’t be used until the 1960’s. So really the whole deal is messed up - the ads would long since have faded and / or been painted over, and the graffiti is way too modern. The “OLSON PAINTS” sign is probably a few decades too modern too…I think a sign c. 1955 would be all one color lettering, maybe red on a white background or something?? It’s possible a store would have multi-colored signage to draw attention to it’s paints I guess.
In the steam era graffiti was around but was much less common. Around railroads hoboes used graffiti to communicate info, like “Frisco Red to Dallas” so any friends of Frisco Red would know when he was last here, he left trying to get to Dallas, or just general “Bozo Texino” or “JBKing esq.” markings. Plus of course yard workers used chalk to mark cars while making up and breaking down trains.
I would assume the word “tagging” came about in the 1990’s.
The tagging would be out of place out of place in 1950 to 1955. I do not believe that “spray” paint (a rattle can) was even around in that time frame.
I boxed up my copy of that Realistic . . . . . issue yesterday and hauled it next door so I had to go drag it out of the box to see just what you are talking about; I had not noticed that “tagging” before.
I don’t know just what they may have called it in the '50s but there was a certain amount of “tagging” at that time but . . . . . . . . . .
I don’t recall ever having seen THAT particular type of stylized “tagging” until in the '70s; it may have been around but I just don’t remember having seen it. I had a friend - actually he was more of an acquaintence than anything else - in Midwest City, Okla who always carried a stick of chalk in his pocket and used to DEFACE - that’s what we called it in those heady days of yesteryear - any wall he encountered with his name. “Jesus Saves” and “Kilroy Was Here” and “Jesus Saves . . . . . . . . . . Green Stamps” were other tributes one was likely to see defacing walls.
Were I modeling some sort of 1950s-era urban environment I would probably do some “tagging” in the downtown area but I would do it with white “paint” or chalk and my graphics would be a bit less artistic than that represented on the abutment on this cover spread.
Way back when I was a young (green) railroader, late '50’s early '60’s on the SP what little graffiti there was was done in chalk, and was either a picture of Kilroy “Kilroy was here” or a place note with a date, e.g.: Okla City 8-14 '49, or Sacto Sam june 19, '51 Once in a great while there would be a Burma Shave sign sequence. No great furor, it just weathered off.
jc5729 John Colley, Port Townsend, WA
There is an article about the Railroad Town of Steubenville Ohio in that issue. I thought, “Great, I’ll but it. I live in Steubenville.” Yeah, not so much. Doesn’t look like the author has ever been to Steubenville.