I thought November brought a real chill to the air, but it’s been downright cold this past month. I expected that, of course, so the icy winds didn’t keep me from wandering into the rail yard at work in hopes of uncovering fresh graffiti. Twelve months and countless cars into railcar spotting now, here we are at the final monthly edition of the year.
If you’re new to railcar spotting, here’s the deal: I work at a plastics factory where most of our materials roll in from the railroad. Every month, I hunt down the best graffiti in the yard and share my favorites. With three spurs branching off the old Big Four Michigan Line, our yard can hold up to sixty cars at a time. If the schedule’s on track, we see fresh arrivals twice a week. This OGER car was one of my December favorites.
It’s incredible how much has passed through our yard. I’ve seen vibrant, messy, cryptic, and beautiful marks. Some tell a story, but others leave me scratching my head. For me, the fun has always been in finding pieces that spark my curiosity or make me pause for just a moment longer. Indeed, I stopped at the purple piece above for longer than usual as I tried to figure out what it said. Sadly, I couldn’t.
Normally, I see a variety of art as I pass the yard on my walk to the office. Unfortunately, the closest cars are mostly obscured by a fence. I’m sure I spotted the blank side of this massive piece behind it, but expanding my search to the rear revealed its artistic counterpart! I don’t know what it signifies or says, but I would have missed this enormous piece if I hadn’t gone exploring. Even with a simple design, the sheer warrants its inclusion in this month’s quarry.
This piece immediately caught my eye and drew me in with its raw, unfinished vibe. At first glance, I couldn’t tell if the artist had started strong and left it incomplete or if time had softened it into what we see now. Either way, it stood out as one of the most intriguing finds of December. I wouldn’t rank it among the best tags I’ve ever seen, but it’s a testament to something. Is that something fleeting creativity, or is it proof that weathered art can still make an impression? I’m not sure.
December turned out to be a quiet month for railcar spotting. Still, one piece managed to catch my attention before I headed back indoors. This black-and-silver tag was the final piece I decided to photograph. Over time, I’ve realized that railcar spotting isn’t always about finding the most elaborate or colorful tags. Sometimes, it’s about appreciating the ones that leave me wondering. This one certainly did!
On your penultimate shot, it looks like the railroad’s stencil guy came along after the graffiti artist.
It does! I’ve been told that they’re generally left alone if they don’t cover up anything important. Maybe this was an outlier.