Decommissioned MARTA Railcars Developing into Reef Habitats
Last December, the decommissioned railcars were stripped of hazardous materials and inspected by the U.S. Coast Guard before being transported by barge to Artificial Reef L.
In the first dive since the deployment, the DNR Coastal Resources Division witnessed a good amount of soft coral beginning to grow on the railcars and nine species of game fish.
Photo: MARTA
2 min to read
Two Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) railcars deployed into the Atlantic Ocean seven months ago as part of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Reef Project are gradually developing into reef habitats for marine wildlife.
Last December, the decommissioned railcars were stripped of hazardous materials and inspected by the U.S. Coast Guard before being transported by barge to Artificial Reef L, an established reef about two square miles in size, located approximately 23 nautical miles east of Ossabaw Island and deployed in about 55 to 65 feet of water.
Ad Loading...
Last December, the decommissioned railcars were stripped of hazardous materials and inspected by the U.S. Coast Guard before being transported by barge to Artificial Reef L. Fish and other marine life, such as sea turtles, were likely the first to investigate the railcars when they were deployed.
Photo: MARTA
Railcar Reef Project Update
In the first dive since the deployment, the DNR Coastal Resources Division witnessed a good amount of soft coral beginning to grow on the railcars and nine species of game fish.
“MARTA is proud to be part of repurposing old railcars in this environmentally responsible way,” said MARTA GM/CEO Collie Greenwood. “It’s exciting to see this type of development on the railcars after only a few months and we hope to provide more retired railcars for reef deployment as we make room for our new trains.”
While the substrate for the reef is manmade, the organisms that grow on it are entirely natural and beneficial for the environment.
Fish and other marine life, such as sea turtles, were likely the first to investigate the railcars when they were deployed.
Corals, sponges, and other encrusting organisms are taking hold now and will continue to grow and improve the longer they are in the ocean.
Ad Loading...
SCUBA divers and anglers have also been using the reef.
“The artificial reef is looking great, and we are encouraged by the amount of coral growth and marine wildlife activity,” said Cameron Brinton, a marine biologist with DNR’s Coastal Resources Division. “You’ll notice one of the railcar roofs has collapsed, which is typical, and we’ll see more changes to the railcars over time as they become part of the essential marine habitat for sea creatures, including popular sport fish and endangered sea turtles.”
Corals, sponges, and other encrusting organisms are taking hold now and will continue to grow and improve the longer they are in the ocean.
Photo: MARTA
A History of Railcars as Artificial Reefs
MARTA’s railcars join previously deployed materials, including U.S. Army M-60 battle tanks, barges, tugboats, New York City subway cars, and other manmade structures.
Artificial Reef L was first created in 1976 as part of a network of 32 offshore reefs that the Coastal Resources Division has been building and improving for more than 40 years.
Amtrak will open grant applications March 23 for community projects near the Frederick Douglass Tunnel alignment in Baltimore as part of a $50 million investment tied to the B&P Tunnel Replacement Program.
The Denmark Station $2.3 million construction investment project includes a new 280-foot concrete boarding platform, built eight inches above the top of rail, for improved accessibility for passengers with disabilities and families with small children and much more.
Caltrain and its partners have implemented safety improvements at specific locations in response to known risk conditions, operational needs, and available funding since the agency’s founding.
On a recent episode of METROspectives, METRO Magazine’s Executive Editor Alex Roman sat down with Ana-Maria Tomlinson, Director of Strategic & Cross-Sector Programs at the CSA Group, to explore a bold initiative aimed at addressing those challenges: the development of a National Code for Transit and Passenger Rail Systems in Canada.
Competitive FTA grants will support accessibility upgrades, family-friendly improvements, and cost-efficient capital projects at some of the nation’s oldest and busiest transit hubs.
The 3.92-mile addition will soon take riders west beyond its current Wilshire and Western station in Koreatown, continuing under Wilshire Boulevard through neighborhoods and communities including Hancock Park, Windsor Square, the Fairfax District, and Carthay Circle into Beverly Hills.
Under the plan, all long-distance routes will transition to a universal single-level fleet, replacing today’s mix of bi-level and single-level equipment.
