Why is there a desire to put graffiti on signal boxes?

Question

Railroad property seems to be a magnet for graffiti. Would you have any ideas on resolving the problem?

Answer 1

Modern day "taggers" leave their marks everywhere.  Rail cars are a prime target, as the tag gets nation-wide visibility.  Though there is some rather stunning artwork at times, most are gang logos.

But, tagging signal boxes, bridge abutments and piers has long been a way of the old hobos communicating with each other, as well as leaving their mark.

Information, such as areas being worked by law enforcement, change in location of a "jungle", where work was available, etc., was important to those vagabonds of long ago.

Today, however, the true hobo is gone, replaced by people usually on the lam from the law.  Most notably is a loosely organized gang known as the "Freight Train Riders of  America."  These guys are bad news.  They make the h**l's Angels look like Mother Teresa.  They will be happy to slit your throat or toss you off a moving train for whatever you may be carrying.

This is one of the reasons I always try to discourage those who think there may be something romantic in "riding the rails."  There isn't.....

Answer 2

Here in the Silicon Valley, I see very little graffiti on signal boxes...

Though it IS on every flat surface NEAR the tracks... walls, hoppers, gondolas, etc.  What I notice is almost all gang related or local tag-artists.

Answer 3

the medical term for it is "cranial/r****m inversion"

it appears to be irreversible

Answer 4

Most graffiti, I think, is to mark drug territory.   Or just idiots with paint cans.

I know hobos have a complicated language for communciting with other hobos, which place is safe, who will give food to hobos, etc.  Your graffiti might be hobo stuff.