Severe Duty Wrote:
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> As for the tagging, it seems to me to be a problem
> of uncontrolled access over too much territory.
> Stopping graffiti on railcars would be like trying
> to eradicate the planet of ants.

That, and because of limited manpower that's stretched very thin and focuses on more urgent problems.

UP's Special Agents in the Bay Area, for example, do confront taggers and paint crews when they can, but these guys tend to be pretty wily and scatter like birds when they see a single SA approaching. It's hard for the railroad to commit multiple SA's (and maybe a canine) to such a situation.

UP's train crews and other employees are required to report such person when they're seen on or near the right of way, but a response can be hit-or-miss.

Given today's society, there's probably not much that can be done about freight car graffiti, and speaking personally, they can paint the cars all they want as far as I'm concerned. However, it seems like the railroads could probably do a better job of "protecting" their locomotives by parking them in a secure area. But graffiti is probably not a high priority issue for the companies. The locomotive still runs the same no matter what's painted on the side.