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Queens Mainline Graffiti History

August 7th, 2014 by

"Do you want to die tonight?"



In early 1990s Queens, the ever present risk of a grim death was enough to deter all but the most hardcore graffiti writers from entering this 4 track subway speedway. Express trains rip through at top speed, and with stations fairly spread out, even the local trains here don't fuck around. Long tunnels with frequent trains at all hours of the day and night, plus minimal clearance between tracks does not make for an environment suitable for human life. I would bet much more than my customary wooden nickel that anyone new to subway exploring would not survive the trip.

Those 90s writers knew what the fuck they were doing. The secrets of the trade were handed down by word of mouth and only to those who had proven their worth on the streets above. The reward for entry was clear: thousands of commuters could look out the window and see your graffiti. An audience of millions right below your streets, years before the internet made getting such attention easy.

25 years later, this harsh environment and the distraction of the internet has resulted in a miles long time capsule that few recent writers would even know how to handle. Tags and throwys from some of Queens most infamous 1990s graffiti writers are all still here - preserved & undisturbed.

The game of 'tunnel frogger' - surviving a trip into these tunnels, is kept alive by a select few. It's still handed down word of mouth only to those worthy. The internet is for boring safe people scared of death - while the tunnels are for those who choose the path far less traveled.



5 responses to “Queens Mainline Graffiti History”

  1. PegLegGuy says:

    .
    Nice, Control.

    PegLegGuy

    .

  2. Devourer, Beelzebub, Serpent says:

    TKA tag next to the JD throwy… talk about a blast from the past…

  3. Anon Kid or Adult says:

    Now is a good time to check those tunnels out. express trains run on the local tracks at night. but they’re installing sensors on a lot of the platforms

  4. Jcrue@aol.Jcrue@aol.com says:

    Except for DG

  5. Jackie says:

    When I was a teenager, I had a boyfriend from Queens who wrote CeL. He used to go into the tunnels to write graffiti, from what he told me.

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  • About The Author

    Bad Guy Joe

    Bad Guy Joe
    Bad Guy Joe knows more about the NYC underground than anyone else on or below the surface of this planet. He has spent nearly 30 years sneaking into NYC's more forbidden locations. When not underground, he's probably bitching about politicians or building something digital. 
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    LTVSquad.com is the blog of NYC's most notorious team of explorers. We bring you a unique roasted blend of content culled from the fringes and dark underbelly of this fine city. Consider us an Autodidact's guide to urban exploration, adventure and fringe art. Mixed with 2 part photography and video, 1 parts social commentary and (ill)legal mentality.

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