Rolling Canvases: Railcar Graffiti Turns Heads in Saline

Graffiti is an ancient type of art form, essentially the “I Was Here,” first carved into stone thousands of years ago, a tradition that now appears on railcars in Saline.

Railcar Graffiti as Art

Don’t look now but there’s an art exhibit of sorts in Saline – and it’s on the railcars sitting on the tracks across from the Saline Library.

Railcar graffiti – art (albeit illegal) that is created on railcars – can be considered one of the most widely traveled art exhibits in the world. As trains crisscross the country, they are viewed by a large captive audience, while offering free admission.

Brooklyn resident Mike Evans, also known as Banjo Mike, knows a lot about trains and even uses them in his music. He calls railcar graffiti “train art,” and puts it this way: “Train art is exactly that – art. A lot of tags (graffiti) you see on railcars are designed and used by specific artists. These tags aren’t the only art they create, but they can serve as a form of advertising for themselves and their work.”

Evans feels a deep personal connection to trains, reflected in the name of his band, Railcar Graffiti. Their most recent album is aptly named Letters from the Train Yard, and Evans explains, “There are plenty of classic songs about trains, but even new ones stir up deep emotions for listeners—nostalgia, sadness, happiness, or hope. The music we do comes from the period of early America, when these tracks were being laid across the country.”

Local art historian Bob Lane is a member of Saline’s Historical Society and offers tours at the Saline Depot Museum. He shares his thoughts about railcar graffiti: “I guess there’s always been something that people need. They want to be an artist and paint their thoughts. Railcars have a nice flat surface to paint on, and your artwork goes off all over the country.”

Railcar Graffiti Inspires Wanderlust

Trains have long stirred emotions in the American psyche, whether through nostalgic songs, the mournful whistle as they leave a station, or with the sight of railcars rolling across the landscape – a blank canvas for artistic expression.

Evans sums up the emotions trains and railcar graffiti stir up for him: “It always inspires the traveler in me. To think of all the places that railcar has been, all it’s seen and all the people it’s interacted with spark my fire to get out there, see new places, things, and people.”

Note:  Railcar graffiti is illegal and a federal offense, but it has nonetheless become a visible part of modern railroading.