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Old Subway Cars As Artificial Reef

Posted by kdawson on from the take-the-a-train-to-the-bottom dept.

Pickens writes "Hundreds of retired New York City subway cars are being sunk sixteen nautical miles off Delaware's Indian River Inlet and about 80 feet underwater, continuing the transformation of a barren stretch of ocean floor into a bountiful oasis, carpeted in sea grasses, walled thick with blue mussels and sponges, and teeming with black sea bass and tautog. 'They're basically luxury condominiums for fish,' says Jeff Tinsman, artificial reef program manager for the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. Subway cars are roomy enough to invite certain fish, too heavy to shift easily in storms, and durable enough to avoid throwing off debris for decades. Tinsman particularly favors the newer subway cars with stainless steel on the outside to create reefs. 'We call these the DeLoreans of the deep,' he said. But success comes at a price because other states, seeing Delaware's successes, have started competing for the subway cars, which New York City provides free. 'The secret is out, I guess,' said Michael G. Zacchea, the MTA official in charge of getting rid of New York City's old subway cars."

21 of 169 comments (clear)

  1. Good idea! by Whiney+Mac+Fanboy · · Score: 5, Funny

    This shore is a good idea! (speaking littorally of course)

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    1. Re:Good idea! by Dahamma · · Score: 5, Funny

      This shore is a good idea! (speaking littorally of course)

      I'd mod you up if I could but the masses probably think you are fishing for mod points...

    2. Re:Good idea! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Oh, cod. This kind of thing makes me eel. I'm net that kind of buoy, sea? Is there really any porpoise to this, or are we carping and whaling?

      Ok, enough about this tail of roe ...

    3. Re:Good idea! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Just for the halibut; you certainly put him in his plaice...

    4. Re:Good idea! by philspear · · Score: 2, Funny

      Good reef, this is getting out of hand.

    5. Re:Good idea! by famebait · · Score: 2, Funny

      Good reef, is there no depth you font steep to?

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  2. Fools! by jimmux · · Score: 5, Funny

    'We call these the DeLoreans of the deep,'

    You fools! If the dolphins develop time travel there will be no stopping them!

    1. Re:Fools! by ksd1337 · · Score: 2, Funny

      Forget the dolphins. What about the sharks with lasers?

  3. Oceans need more man made stuff in them! by Shadukar · · Score: 5, Funny

    1. dump some old trash in the previously perfectly fine ocean
    2. ???
    3. LUXURY CONDOMINIUMS FOR FISH

  4. Oh no! by The+Beast+Beneath · · Score: 1, Funny

    The fish will create vast underground cities, and soon they will begin a hostile takeover!

  5. The last thing I need when I scuba diving by Centurix · · Score: 4, Funny

    Getting mugged by a harpoon weilding, cowry shell demanding aquatic gang member. Insane.

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    Task Mangler
  6. Re:Memories by robo_mojo · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sorry, it got stuck in my head
    Please keep it there!
  7. Re:asbestos by McNally · · Score: 5, Funny

    Does anyone know how that comes into play in a marine environment?
    Clearly the fish will be at an increased risk of lung cancer.
  8. Re:2000 years from now... by drspliff · · Score: 5, Funny
    New york was where?

    "A new discovery by our great leader shows ancient American maps may be off by 200 miles, our great leaders scientists believe New York may have been situated at the opening of the Delaware Bay; alternative theories suggest these submerged relics may have been attributed somehow to experiments at the Black Mesa facility (formerly CERN-LHC) in 2009"

    [history] (net.earth.news) 34899 points posted 3 mars hours ago by GreatLeader

    Halliburton retaliates against France!

    "The Great Leader has sent supporting troops to support Halliburton forces in retaliation following French aggression last week against the sovereign nation. Live holostream and kill-cam with Geraldo Rivera's clone from 7pm."

    [worldnews] (net.earth.actualités) 19148 points posted 5 mars hours ago by GreatLeader
  9. Re:asbestos by pherthyl · · Score: 5, Funny

    On the other hand their risk of dying in a fire will decrease drastically..

  10. Re:Like some new large winery cellars. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    That's why so many patents are partially or fully credited to hobos or derelicts.

  11. Re:Oh I hope they know what they are doing by edwardpickman · · Score: 4, Funny

    They also have dumped a considerable amount of nuclear waste and nerve gas into the oceans. Don't worry though that was decades ago and the barrels should last 50 years.

  12. Story underplays the most important fact by benwiggy · · Score: 3, Funny

    Did no-one else notice the most important part of this story?

    You can get subway cars for free!

    I'll have five, thanks.

  13. Great Idea. by RandoX · · Score: 3, Funny

    They should do this with barrels of nuclear waste too.

  14. Littering? by egandalf · · Score: 2, Funny

    Then why did I get arrested for pushing a car into the local river? I was trying to help the environment, people!

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  15. Re:asbestos by aztektum · · Score: 4, Funny

    except that it seems fish's gills work significantly differently than human lungs. that may explain how they can survive underwater?
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