Why aren't there billboard advertisements on the side of railroad boxcars?

Question

I read a long time ago that this had been prohibited by some law enacted way back in the 1930's, but I've been unable to re-find this information. If anyone could provide me info about what law this was, and why it was enacted, I would really appreciate it.

Thank you

Answer 1

There used to be billboards on the sides of boxcars! Now not many people still live besides railroad tracks! I do, the law was, probably, passed at the urging, aka campaign donations, of big companies!

Willy

Answer 2

I've read with interest the answers relating to US railroads. Here in the UK advertising on the sides of passenger carriages (cars) happens all the time. Entire units are wrapped with advertising vinyls, it's totally ghastly. They don't do it, however, on freight cars. probably because there aren't now that many box cars. Freight trains tend to carry heavy stuff like aggregates and coal, or goods in containers which are already adorned with the name of the shipping company.

Answer 3

Well, at the rate that trains can go these days, I highly doubt that anyone would be able to read it, and many advertisements on billboards are local, so they would not work in a traveling object.

Answer 4

Hobos can't read

Answer 5

If you are talking United states,

the Associatin of American Railroads' nterchange rules prohibit it.

However, the AAR rules are voluntary agreement ammoung railroads, and the result of a violaton would be the right of a railroad to refuse the car--unlikely.  

What it essentially means is if the car had advertising on it, and the advertising was destroyed of altered on another railroad, the railroad would not be liable for the cost of replacing the advertising.

Answer 6

No idea man

Answer 7

Its being used for GRAFFITI.

Answer 8

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