Why you can sink a subway car to make a reef, but probably not a car – Jalopnik

A wide open seabed covered in sand does not provide many opportunities for marine animals to survive. Reefs, on the other hand, are teeming with life. While debris such as ship anchors can wreak havoc on natural coral reefs, old ships, concrete pieces and even discarded subway cars have become seeds for thriving artificial reefs. However, the choice of materials is of great importance. New York’s MTA tried to turn Brightliner subways into reefs, but it didn’t go as planned. But when the same thing happened with Redbird cars, the project flourished.

Subways like those of New York’s decommissioned Redbird trains provide a great environment for fishing. This is because the windows and doors provide several passageways, providing protection for slow-swimming species and shelter for others. Jeffrey Tinsman, Delaware Artificial Reefs Project Manager, explained the benefits of artificial reefs CBC Radiostating that “there is approximately 400 times as much food for fish per square meter as on the natural sandy bottom.”

Not only is it good for the fish, but it also makes the place attractive to divers and fishermen, and it reuses the subways instead of having them demolished. It seems like old cars could form great artificial reefs after removing anything harmful, but that’s not the case. This is because vehicle frames break too quickly beneath the ocean’s surface. Instead of creating a vibrant ecosystem for decades, cars might last a few years before completely succumbing to rust. Furthermore, the process and expense of transporting and sinking these vehicles would make their short lifespan even less worthwhile.

Erlich’s sculpted concrete cars are part of The Reefline, an underwater park that is over seven miles long. It is open to the public and aims to draw attention to ocean conservation; particularly the sensitive underwater ecosystem that runs along Miami Beach.

Whether it’s an old decommissioned subway car or carefully sculpted concrete, artificial reefs help strengthen and enlarge reef systems around the world. Moreover, it is doubtful whether the fish and mussels care what the reef is made of.