Like Graffiti World, Freight Train Graffiti is the definitive history of a vibrant art form. Until now there was almost no written insight into this vast subculture, which inspires fascination across America and around the world. As dazzling as the art it celebrates, the book is packed with 1,000 full-color illustrations and features in-depth interviews with more than 125 train artists and "writers." Hundreds of never-before-seen photographs span the style's evolution, while the authoritative text from an all-star team of authors provides unprecedented perspective, including the first-ever written history of "monikers," the precursors of graffiti, developed by hobos and rail workers to communicate en route. Bound to surprise graffiti artists, graphic designers, and urban culture buffs alike, this book will inspire anyone who has ever been interested in graffiti.
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
This work is an intelligent, well-written, and comprehensive overview of freight train graffiti, a phenomenon that, while its roots reach back to the earliest days of the American railroad, has become much more pervasive in the last ten years. One of the strengths of this book is the volume of artwork it reproduces-page after page of glossy photos catalog the very best freight graffiti has to offer. However, this is more than just a beautiful coffee table volume: the authors have done a fantastic job writing about every aspect of freight train graffiti, from its roots on the streets of New York, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles to the intricacies of multi-city "crews" and train yard etiquette. Managing to walk the fine line between the academy and the street, the authors are neither ivory tower intellectuals trying to be hip nor graffiti insiders trying to forward an agenda. Rather, this is serious cultural anthropology, especially in the comparison it draws between economic expansion spurred by railroads in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and the artistic expansion of graffiti culture they have facilitated in the last ten years. No matter why readers pick this book up (everyone from graffiti enthusiasts and train watchers to American history buffs will find it appealing), it will certainly do for freight train graffiti what earlier works such as Subway Art (1984) and Spraycan Art (1987) did for subway graffiti: raise awareness of a vibrant subculture while helping to codify its history and early development.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
About the Author
Roger Gastman has been involved with graffiti for fifteen years, and in 1993 he painted his first freight train. He has written extensively on the subject, and is the co-publisher of the pop culture magazine SWINDLE. He lives in Los Angeles.
Darin Rowland's childhood home was blocks from CSX's ACCA yard in Richmond, Virginia, where he fell in love with trains. Eventually, Rowland's addiction moved from trains to graffiti. He now lives in Philadelphia.
Ian Sattler has never been a full-fledged graffiti writer due to his horrible penmanship. Instead, Ian focused on other kinds of writing. His work has appeared in a number of books and national magazines. Sattler lives in Washington, D.C.
Darin Rowland's childhood home was blocks from CSX's ACCA yard in Richmond, Virginia, where he fell in love with trains. Eventually, Rowland's addiction moved from trains to graffiti. He now lives in Philadelphia.
Ian Sattler has never been a full-fledged graffiti writer due to his horrible penmanship. Instead, Ian focused on other kinds of writing. His work has appeared in a number of books and national magazines. Sattler lives in Washington, D.C.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Great book, tons of color shots and information. Great reference for model railroaders looking to add a present-day feel to their trains. Beware! This book will inspire you to tag your own stuff.
11 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By Winter Green
Format:Paperback
This is a comprehensive look at the freight train graffiti movement in the Americas. It's a huge book that includes more than a hundred of the most influential writers in the scene. From the Pre and Sento cover to the present day, this book covers the history from end to end and in full color. Short passages explain who's who and what's what. It is amazing. You'd happily pay $50 for it, but luckily you don't have to. It's a must-have for any rail graffiti enthusiast.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Unlike some of the people who have written bad reviews of this book, I actually BOUGHT IT and READ IT. I found the book to be chock full of stories and anecdotes. Some of the pictures are too small for my tastes, but this book doesn't look like it was intended to be a picture book. It looks like a good resource for people who want to read firsthand accounts of what it is like to be a train writer, learn a little bit about the history and origins of the freight tag, and have plenty of pictures to go with the text.
If you want to see huge photos of incredibly intricate work that took several artists days to perfect, this is not your book. If you want to learn about the scene, read stories about the hazards and risks involved, and see a broad range of tags, from small hollow ones to huge full color end-to-ends, to hobo drawings, try this book.
How many trains would a train writer write when a train writer writes on trains? It's in the book. Some books have pictures, but they don't answer this one. This book belongs in my collection, and that's where it will stay.
If you want to see huge photos of incredibly intricate work that took several artists days to perfect, this is not your book. If you want to learn about the scene, read stories about the hazards and risks involved, and see a broad range of tags, from small hollow ones to huge full color end-to-ends, to hobo drawings, try this book.
How many trains would a train writer write when a train writer writes on trains? It's in the book. Some books have pictures, but they don't answer this one. This book belongs in my collection, and that's where it will stay.
10 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By M. Jost
Format:Paperback
Not since Breakin' 2, Electric Boogaloo, has a vehicle of popular culture captured the true essence of the graffiti artist. Some may argue that Turk 182 holds high honors in this catagory, but true enthusiasts know Bob Clark to be a hack.
Before this book you would have had to quit your job, bought a year's worth of Boone's Farm wine, and hung a sack from a stick to see this level of train graffiti. Jack Kerouac would be proud.
Before this book you would have had to quit your job, bought a year's worth of Boone's Farm wine, and hung a sack from a stick to see this level of train graffiti. Jack Kerouac would be proud.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Kevin
Format:Paperback
This book does a great job of telling the story of freight train graffiti. The authors did a great job of finding the artist that were really putting in work with amazing style. This is apparent by looking at the covers with Pre-One and Sento! These two alone say enough about this book. The stories inside are a great read and I thought the pictures were clear and detailed well. If you ever tried to paint a freight train you will really appreciate the style in this book and how the artists featured developed such technique and skill. They make it look easy! The stories and the writers perspective in this book is amazing. I especially like the chase stories! haha. I highly recommend anyone a fan of graffiti, art or trains to purchase this book. This is the 101 when it comes to graff of freights!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By senior
Format:Paperback
The subject is well researched, although rail cars are not totally unique to graffiti, which seems to be a human tradition since the first caveman scratched out the image of a beast on the wall of his cave. History buffs study graffiti along the Oregon Trail in places like Independence Rock in Wyoming. Graffiti is personification. What I find amazing is that so many "artist" have so much time, and resources to supply great quantities of paint to do this illegal form of art. Obviously several hours go into one masterpiece at some point, would expect detection by authorities. I have a little difficulty with the smallness of the writing. Otherwise, I find it interesting
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I would recommend this book. Its great! I did order a couple more books. I wish they had more of them.
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
My son finds graffiti very interesting as he is a talented artist too. This book was interesting to me! Gave it as a Christmas gift!!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
best option
Great book. It not only has thousands of color photos but a great brief history of graffiti and tons of quotes from the artists themselves. Definitely worth the buy!
Published on November 7, 2010 by Steven Lee Karsten
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not what I expected, but good nonetheless!
While I was hoping for larger pictures throughout, to use as references for my detailing of model railroad freight cars, there are only a few large pictures that are of use. Read more
Published on July 14, 2010 by Norman Wolf
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best Freight Train Graff book ever. period.
Many people have said it earlier and better, so this is for the fence-sitters: If you like graff, get this book.
Published on August 17, 2009 by noisy
4.0 out of 5 stars
if you like freights,this is the book for you
look at who it was done by,that should be enuff to tell you its dope,with out the hundreds of tiop shelf photos,in this book waiting for you to drewl over,a excellent book,the only... Read more
Published on July 28, 2007 by HOKESE
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book
I feel like this product is pretty self-explanatory. If you want a high-quality book including lots of great pictures and funny, personal first-person accounts, then this is the... Read more
Published on May 17, 2007 by Helene
5.0 out of 5 stars
train writing 101
this book is amazing! it goes from the history of the railroad, to the hobo era, to the roots of tagging, to modern day enhanced writings that are beautiful! Read more
Published on February 18, 2007 by A b S
1.0 out of 5 stars
Glorifying crime and the author now profits from it?
Folks, you all need to consider this from another perspective. Some of you may consider this to be art (and undoubtedly it is on some level), but it is also first and foremost the... Read more
Published on August 23, 2006 by Tammy
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