So those that have a few more years on them than me...what the heck happened in New York around mid May 1972? I never really looked so closely before, but after looking at several hundered photos on nycsubway.org today, I notice that this seems to be the critical date where subway grafitti started to take over. Pre May '72 very little grafitti is seen on the cars. A scribble here and there, but for the most part - pretty clean cars. After May '72...good luck on finding a grafitti free car.

Sept. 1971 - (Car is pretty dirty so it's not fresh out of the shop)



Early May 1972 - (Still pretty clean - a few scribbles begin)



Late May 1972


July 1972


November 1972


1973



1977


1983 - (Close to the final straw)



December 1984 - A New Era


So? What the heck happened?

There is definitely a correlation between the incidence of violent crime, general lawlessness and graffiti. I left NY in late 71 and it went from bad then to worse. When I was 16 years old I thought vandalizing public property was clever as hell, but I soon outgrew it and now have remorse.


Chris, That is a very nice photo documentary. I guess you are planning to model the earlier days.

So it's all your fault!

I plan to model around 1985, which will pretty much allow everything from R-62s and Redbirds, back on through grafitti leftovers, and on back to R-1s with fan trips.

Chris, There was a heroin use epidemic in NY and other large cities, that began about 1970 and peaked in about 73. I am not speculating that heroin users where spray painting subways, in fact I think more likely the opposite, but it was all part of the general insanity in a lawless time. I think it sad how someone could be so insignificant, useless and unimportant to the world that they could take pride in an identity created on walls with paint. Of course we were all young and have done some stupid things, well at least I have, but only for a short time and not for years on end.

All my fault for leaving? Hey, I am not my brothers keeper. I left then to buy a house in Westchester just like you did not too long ago.

I was kidding. Just seems like you were the glue holding it altogether since it fell apart after you left.

Maybe it was my parents fault. They moved to NY in 1973.

I moved out of Staten Island for Tampa in July of 72.
I never saw any graffiti prior to that time.

I think the NYC Police were no longer allowed to use a baton to crack some heads open, so the crime escalated.

Steve P.
SIRT

the 5th pic from the top.... the July 1972 pic, with side rollsign reading
Woodlawn Rd
Atlantic Av
Lexington Av Exp

then in between cars , signed up as a "2" train.

where is that pic taken?

looks like the Brighton Line....

Hi Chris,
Yes I knew you were kidding, although I may sound a little defensive. After all, I may have left with the oven on or a lit cigarette burning and caused the entire city to go to hell in a handbasket. If by chance I did, I am truly sorry.

You guys bring back sooooo many old memories for me as a kid riding the train between brooklyn, queens & the bronx. I remember when the trains used to go all the way up to 171 St. & Jamaica, Queens. The last stop was where Mays giant dept. store was. They were somewhat of the competition to Macys Dept. store in the late 70's to 80's. Those tracks have been long since removed.
Anybody got any pix of the J-Train line going up to 171st street & Jamaica Ave?
My claim to fame on graffiti, or as close as I ever came to it, since I couldn't draw, was to draw something on paper using water markers & leaving it behind on the train after my mom or my aunt had told me not to leave it behind prior to exiting the car we were on. My brother was a "Graf. Artist" at one time or another, I mean, public properties vandal/criminal. At least he grew out of it. I still draw on paper with water markers.

Line: IRT Woodlawn Line
Location: Bedford Park Boulevard
Route: 4

Great photos, Chris. The early '70's are just a tad before my age as well. It seems that the "artists" started breaking into the yards in the early '70's. Why at this time and not before is a good question. This might be when graffitti peaked as an urban "art-form".

It just amazes me how it seems to have exploded almost overnight - literally overnight. Almost nothing at all on the cars prior to May 6th 1972, and you almost can't find a clean car after that date.

I know what is was

May 17 , 1972- The closing notice is posted for the Broadway musical Hair.

it wasent that,it was the shortage of drawing paper ,back then mead was on a strike ,so here MOTORMAN,enjoy.we had to draw on something,ha,ha,ha