On April 3, 2008, 44 decommissioned stainless steel subway cars were deployed on the Atlantic City Reef site as part of the Artificial Reef Program. The cars are placed in a tight circle pattern to better accommodate divers. The remainder of the cars are scheduled to be deployed at the Deepwater, Cape May, Garden State South and Shark River reef sites.
A total of 600 decommissioned stainless steel subway cars are to be deployed eventually, all being received from the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA). Prior to deployment each car is stripped of all plastics, degradable materials and grease to avoid contamination to the marine ecosystem. The MTA covers all costs for the cleaning, transportation and deployment to the artificial reef sites.
4932 - R42M - note fiberglass end cap is missing
In total, there are approximately 1400 cars available for reefing, to be split among several states including New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia, and South Carolina. Belatedly, New York also began lobbying for a large share ( if not all ) of the remaining cars, after they had already been allocated to other states. It remains to be seen how this "Great Train Robbery" will work out.
Atlantic City Reef, April 3, 2008
After being stripped of windows and doors, it will be difficult to tell one type from another. The R40s and R42s will also lose their fiberglass end-caps. Compared to the Redbirds, these cars are 10 feet longer and over a foot wider, with much heavier stainless steel construction.
R32
R38
R40 "Slant"
R42
Brightliners were named for their gleaming unpainted stainless-steel finish and overall modern appearance, which contrasted strongly with the painted cars of previous generations, such as the Redbirds.
What are the benefits of establishing artificial reefs in New Jersey’s marine waters?
Reefs enhance our marine ecosystem by providing spawning, nursery, refuge and feeding area for more than 150 species of fish and marine life. Deployed hard substrate materials such as rock, steel and concrete provide an attachment medium for larval encrusting organisms to grow and mature. Encrusting organisms such as hydroids, anemones, barnacles and blue mussels envelope the reef structure and form a thick living reef matrix. A myriad of minute crustaceans such as amphipods and isopods in turn take up housing in this protective environment and from an important component of the reef food chain. Reef-associated fishes such as black sea bass, tautog and cunner utilize reefs as a food source and refuge.
Reefs also provide new fishing grounds for anglers and underwater areas to explore for scuba divers. Artificial reefs are especially important to the marine waters of New Jersey as the seafloor is characterized as sand or sand-mud plain interrupted by sand ridges and swales. The larvae of the encrusting organisms cannot attach to these sand grains and quickly wash away or become covered with sediments.
The intent of New Jersey’s Reef Program is not to change the marine environment, but rather to enhance a small portion of the seafloor to benefit about 150 species of fish and marine life. The benefited species are endemic but are limited in abundance by the lack of hard-substrate habitat. New Jersey’s reefs are only artificial in that hard-substrate structures were intentionally placed in the marine environment. Everything that occurs after that is a natural process leading to the formation of an encrusting community of organisms. New Jersey’s Reefs only occupy 0.3 percent of the ocean bottom out to 30 nautical miles.
Studies performed by the New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW), Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife and South Carolina Division of Natural Resources show that subway cars develop into fully functional artificial reef habitat providing trophic support for reef fishes by supporting invertebrate communities.
Reef-associated fishes such as black sea bass and tautog are inherently structure oriented. Although these fishes will be found in the immediate vicinity of the subway cars after the deployment, utilization will be the highest following two years of soak time when the reef matrix is fully developed. A three-year study conducted by the DFW found that the mean number of fishes found utilizing subway cars as habitat to be 323 per subway car after two years soak time. If this value were extrapolated to 600 subway cars, an expected 193,000 fishes would be found utilizing the subway cars as habitat.
Besides fish, what other types of marine life will utilize the subway cars as habitat? Marine invertebrates such as hydroids, anemones, barnacles, blue mussels, worms and stony corals will colonize the subway cars. In addition to these invertebrates, crustaceans such as lobsters, shrimp and stone crabs will use the reef matrix for refuge and a food source.
During 1990, the DFW performed a pilot study to determine the effectiveness and durability of subway car bodies as reef material. Five PATH ( Port Authority Transit Hudson ) subway cars were obtained from Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA) for this purpose. Thirteen years following the deployment, surveys found the PATH subway cars to be upright and 67 percent intact. Newer subway cars are constructed of type 301 and 302 stainless steel, which is more resistant to marine corrosion than the carbon steel that the PATH and Redbird subway cars were constructed. The US EPA has estimated that the life span of the stainless steel cars to be between 25 - 35 years. This range is comparable to other reef material routinely deployed by New Jersey’s Reef Program. The estimated life spans of the PATH and Redbird and subway cars deployed in 1990 and 2004 is 15-25 years.
A four-year study conducted by DFW found that subway cars do not move once deployed. Immediately following the deployment of 250 Redbird subway cars in 2003, hurricane Isabel hit the New Jersey coast. To verify that the Redbird subway cars had not moved, the DFW performed a side-scan-sonar survey. Results indicated that the deployed subway cars were in the same positions as they were when dropped. Additional monitoring performed during 2004 - 2007 also showed that the subway cars were in the same positions. Stainless steel subway cars are equivalent in weight to the Redbirds and weigh approximately 18 tons each.
Asbestos is the common name for several minerals found in some geological formations that can be found in many places including New Jersey. Asbestos fibers naturally occur in surface waters in areas with these minerals. These minerals have been processed into products such as insulators and fire retardants.
Asbestos is contained within some materials in the subway cars. However, the asbestos fibers are encapsulated or contained within epoxy material and would not be expected to be released into the water column. Epifauna would most certainly be expected to cover the surfaces of the subway cars. This "growth" would be expected to minimize any release of asbestos.
In the unlikely case where fibers are released, concentrations would be expected to be low and below levels causing potential harm to aquatic animals (e.g., fish). This is due to the fibers being in an "encapsulated" state and subsequent dilution from ocean currents. Only very high concentrations of asbestos are considered a risk to aquatic animals. The release of high concentrations of asbestos fibers into the water column from a gradual deterioration of the asbestos-containing materials is not expected. The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states in their Final Guidance document: "Undisturbed, non-friable (not easily crumbled) asbestos has been found to be relatively harmless."
Since levels would be low or not present in the water column, levels of asbestos in reef animals would also be expected to be low. Animals higher on the food chain (e.g., fish) would not be expected to have greater concentrations of asbestos compared to animals lower on the food chain.
The EPA recommends removing or encapsulating asbestos material that is exposed, disturbed and deteriorated on materials destined for artificial reefs. Encapsulation with epoxy or other non-water soluble and non-toxic sealer is recommended.
Remaining asbestos material on the subway cars is encapsulated ( e.g., epoxy interior car coating ) and is not considered friable. The danger of asbestos with these (non-friable) types of materials appears to be from grinding, sanding or cutting ( i.e., resulting in release of fibers ). This type of activity is not expected prior to or subsequent to deployment on the reefs.
All past and future subway cars received by New Jersey are free of any cost.
For everything you ever wanted to know about New York City subways, go to nycsubway.org.
I make no claim as to the accuracy, validity, or appropriateness of any information found in this website. I will not be responsible for the consequences of any action that is based upon information found here. Scuba diving is an adventure sport, and as always, you alone are responsible for your own safety and well being.
Copyright © 1996-2008 Rich Galiano
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