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Gary Winters | all galleries >> Galleries >> California Urban > Frank the Trainman
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Frank the Trainman

This is the backside of a building once occupied by a model
railroad hobby shop known as Frank the Trainman (who relocated
across the street a few years ago). Frank was in this location
for probably 40 years. The building has been revamped.

As for this mural, what looks like the "cow catcher" of a
locomotive is an optical illusion; that's a flat wall that is
one side of a staircase that gets people to the second level.
You can see part of the railing just to the right.

Frank's store was a place where dreams were born. There were model
layouts everywhere with trains of every size and description. His
"new" store, across the street, has none of that flavor. Yes, it
has all the same stuff, but it just doesn't feel the same.

I don't know who painted this mural but I'm sure it was a tribute
to a local institution: Frank, The Trainman!


other sizes: small medium original auto
xnomadx02-Jun-2012 17:23
As I recall, Initially this was built as a Credit Union. The bank had wanted the property and after Frank "the trainman" passed, the family agreed to sell the property as long as the building was dedicated to Frank. So I was told.

The architects designed the building with a "train" shape. Mario Torero, (here is a gallery of Marios murals:http://www.mariotorero.com/gallery/murals.html) a SD mural artist was hired to paint the mural as a community project. I forget which school, but Mario had a school design (rough draft) the mural. Then Mario went to Roosevelt Jr High School, now Middle http://rooseveltmiddle.org/) and asked for volunteers to paint it over the summer.
A lot of kids showed up that first weekend and then again at the last day, esp to receive the volunteer plaques, which I have hanging on my wall; But it was Mario, Myself (between my 7th and 8th grade year), and another artist (forgot his name, late 20's) who was there nearly every day that summer.

My plaque reads: Mission Federal Credit Union: My name, Project Artist. "Train of Wisdom"- 1989

The faded baby painted in the corner next to the indian boy crying while pulling the train horn was an image Mario drew up saying it is what he thought i looked like as a baby. I spent most of the time climbing scaffolding and leaning to paint and fade my colors. I had a part in almost every aspect of this mural.

In the front you see a sign for Frank the Trainman, this is actually one of the first (so i was told) moving neon light ever made, if that was just a fable, then I do know it is the original neon sign for his shop.[
Guest 12-May-2012 23:44
The mural was created by Chicano artist Mario Torero. I love the way he used the unusual contours of the building to enhance his mural. Unfortunately, bushes are in the way, so you can't see the heat, smoke, etc., from the iron wheels, which are shaped into running bulls, faces, emotion in motion.
Guest 19-Jan-2011 20:51
the mural was painted by Mario Torrero on the new buiilding that was built for Misson Federal Credit Union. The old building was ready to fall down when MFCU approached Jim Cooley about selling the old building. Jim arranged to buy it from the owner and then resold it to MFCU. Jim said he was thinking about retiring anyway, so we bought the building, the neon sign and several old trainsets and designed the building to look like a locomotive to put our branch office in next to the school district offices. Architect, Dick Bundy did the design work and plans based on the intent to provide a place to showcase the 4th oldest animated neon sign at the top of the stairs. We had it refurbished by one of the original sign makers, Mr. Luitjen, and then Mario approached the credit union about painting a mural. The credit union paid for the supplies and Mario had the help of his students. My dad bought me my first train set from there back in the 40's. Jim Cooley bought the store from his friend Frank who was retiring. The Onion award was a gross injustice and made without any real research into what went into preserving the ledgend. Jim later decided that he would open up another store across the street and also showcase his antique collection in his JACooley Museum. Dick Tazelaar
Garber 25-Oct-2008 04:47
The original Frank the Trainman building was torn down in the late 1980s. It's replacement is entirely new construction. The mural was not on the original building. The mural is hideous and an artistic atrocity.
Guest 15-Mar-2008 17:29
You know it's funny, I spent lots of time in the original Frank The Trainman as a kid and never once saw the mural..... That's what I get for being young and easily distracted.... I am guessing he was more than 40 years in that store because I think my father spent time there in the early 50's.... That old store had the feel of the 'mom and pop' hardware store of the same time period. Very cool image.
Jeroen Bosman23-Jan-2008 08:52
nice picture, thanks for sharing the story
1moremile24-Jun-2006 23:51
Great capture and story.
Guest 29-Nov-2004 10:03
Cool story...great mural :)
Robin Reid27-Nov-2004 02:27
Terrific catch.
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