November brought a frosty turn to the weather here in Indiana just in time for Thanksgiving. It’s officially hoodie or quarter-zip season whenever I head out to the railyard! Unfortunately, my visit this time was brief since there wasn’t much to miss. Like the calm before Thursday’s holiday feast, it turned out to be a quiet month for railcar spotting.
Welcome to the sixteenth edition of railcar spotting! Here’s the gist: I work at a plastics factory that receives most of its material by rail. Every month, I share the best graffiti I find. With three spurs that extend from the old Big Four Michigan Branch, we can hold about sixty cars in our yard. If everything is as it should be, we get new ones twice a week. The recent addition above came fully decked out.
I pass the first row of railcars every morning on the way to the office. Every now and then, a splash of color or a bold design pops out. Unfortunately, the closest cars are partially obscured by a fence. I highlighted those easy ones early on, but I’ve wandered out to our other tracks ever since. That’s where the real gems hide, like this quick-and-dirty “LooZA” piece.
I like to think of myself as a bit of an artist and not a “LooZa,” but I’ve never contributed to our railcar gallery myself. I’d love to offer some insight into the meaning behind each car I spy, but don’t know much about graffiti or the talented hands that bring it to life. I love the bold purple-and-silver combination this “MEZAK” car brought to the yard, but I’m not even sure I translated it properly.
The same goes for this one. I have no idea what it says! When it comes to pieces like this, I like to channel my inner Potter Stewart: I may not always understand what I take pictures of, but I know the good stuff when I see it. I admit that this tag might not have made the cut during more prosperous months, but it still managed to catch my eye this time around.
The railcars I’ve featured up until now were decent, but the undisputed highlight of November’s trip to the yard was “RUST PUNX.” Its bold gradient, sunny yellows, and pink backdrop brought a much-needed burst of color to November’s drab grays and browns! In a sea of monotony, RUST PUNX didn’t just stand out: it demanded attention. Hats off to the PUNX for delivering such a standout creation and giving me a something fantastic to add to my collection this month.
The countdown to the end of the year feels like an eternity, but it’s a little easier to bear with Thanksgiving behind us and the holiday season ahead. The plant will shut down halfway through the month for inventory, so there won’t be much need for new raw materials rolling in. Still, that doesn’t dampen my excitement. I’m already gearing up to throw on my parka and see what treasures the railyard has in store! So far, I’ve shared 121 pieces of railcar art, and I can’t wait to see what’s waiting around the bend.
You should have a near-inexhaustable supply for this topic. Do you ever see some old favorites back for a return visit to your facility?
I’ve seen a couple come back, but none of my favorites. One specific talc vendor seems to reuse them more than any other.