KC Streetcar

Wrapping a 77’ Long, Moving Canvas

An Entirely New Beast

In 2018, the KC Streetcar Authority (KCSA) began an exciting new cultural venture that featured the dazzling new streetcars as wrapped “exhibition canvases” celebrating the history and culture of Kansas City in a bold new way. The KCSA began the series as a collaboration with Art in the Loop (a Kansas City not-for-profit that supports local artists).

The streetcars would be wrapped with large-scale reproductions of visually impactful original art created by Kansas City artists that were selected by Art in the Loop for exhibition. The theme showcased KC-influenced art “that uplifts and connects” the community within the city the artists call “home.”

The task of wrapping the Streetcars bounced around to a few different wrap installers until one day Signco showed up to wrap one for them. After witnessing Signco’s dedication, professionalism, attention to detail, and workmanship firsthand, the KCSA said they were convinced Signco was the only professional wrap company that they wanted to work with for wrapping the KC Streetcars.

The entire Streetcar wrap process, from assisting with scaling designs to printing the wrap material, to installation on the Streetcars was handled by Signco. Streetcars are an entirely new beast when it comes to creating and installing a wrap. Each car is a 77 ft long canvas that is in near-constant motion in all types of weather. The scale of the project, its multiple curves, its rooftop surface area, accordion-center, and massive windows require an acute level of precise planning early in the design stage ¬– and at each step forward toward vinyl fabrication – to make sure the art and messaging are displayed optimally on this unique vehicle.

Executing these massive wrap jobs requires close collaboration with the original artist and the Streetcar Authority. Also, strict time restraints (as any Streetcar pulled from the fleet for even a day can cause a passenger logjam), adherence to safety requirements (as there is high voltage electric power just a few feet above the streetcar rooftop), and meticulous attention to detail.

A strong commitment to excellence is also helpful – something that every team member at Signco truly took to heart. Each wrap job is unique, as the KC Streetcar wraps clearly demonstrate. Some projects require new materials or new installation techniques – all of which are taken into consideration – and in stride – by the wrap professionals at Signco. Every wrap is custom, and with each custom project comes challenges and opportunities. But in the end, each project needs to be completed flawlessly, every single time.

The entire team at Signco is extremely knowledgeable and incredibly flexible in completing these projects. It takes true professionals to properly transfer the desired effect while upholding the integrity of the art when transferred to a canvas with unique requirements in design and safety. The designers are experts at what they do, and the installers provide the best customer service we have ever received from any wrap company we have worked with before. When a setback or issue arises, they are the first to let us know and bring us well-thought-out solutions.

Each of our streetcars are incredibly expensive and the professionals at Signco never let us down when it comes to their professionalism and commitment to using only the best quality materials and installation techniques. The streetcars they have wrapped for us have never peeled or faded – even the ones that stay wrapped for up to a year! And these streetcars are running daily through all types of Midwestern weather conditions, and they always look as beautiful as the day they were wrapped! Working with Signco is an absolute pleasure and we can trust that every job they do for us will be executed perfectly! We especially love the creativity and problem-solving attitude they bring along with them, allowing us to create even more exciting and visually appealing streetcars that push the boundaries of what we thought was possible.

Donna MandelbaumCommunications & Marketing Director, KC Streetcar Authority

KC Streetcar Gallery