Redbird Reef

{{Short description|Artificial reef located in the Atlantic Ocean}} {{Infobox project | name = Redbird Reef | image = SubwayCarBargeAtGWB.JPG | caption = Retired Redbird subway cars pass under the George Washington Bridge on the way to being sunk. | type = Artificial reef | location = near the coast of Slaughter Beach, Delaware }} thumb|right|250px|Location of Redbird Reef '''Redbird Reef''' is an artificial reef located in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Slaughter Beach, Delaware,<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://aquaviews.net/from-trash-to-treasure-artificial-reefs-uncovered/|title = From Trash To Treasure- Artificial Reefs Uncovered|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110118204730/http://aquaviews.net/from-trash-to-treasure-artificial-reefs-uncovered/|archivedate = 18 January 2011|date = 1 April 2010|first = Noreen|last = (Anonymous)|type = blog|publisher = LeisurePro|website = AquaViews}}</ref> {{convert|16|mi|km|1}} east of the Indian River Inlet.

Established by the Maryland Reef Initiative<ref name=autogenerated1>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080901014823/http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/News/Pages/DNRECSinksThreeTugboatsOffDelawareCoasttoEnhanceArtificialReef;.aspx DNREC Sinks Three Tugboats Off Delaware Coast to Enhance Artificial Reef; Vessels Recycled on “Redbird Reef” As Home for Fish and Sea Life]</ref> in 2001, this reef covers 1.3 square nautical miles of ocean floor<ref name=autogenerated1 /> and is located {{convert|80|ft|m|1}} below the surface.<ref name=nytreef>Urbina, Ian. [https://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/08/us/08reef.html?_r=1 Growing pains for a deep-sea home built of subway cars] ''New York Times'', 2008. Accessed: 10 March 2011.</ref>

The reef comprises 714 Redbird (R26–R36 series) New York City Subway cars dumped by Weeks Marine,<ref name=autogenerated1 /> 86 retired tanks and armored personnel carriers, eight tugboats and barges, and 3,000 tons of ballasted truck tires.<ref name=autogenerated1 /><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.fw.delaware.gov/Fisheries/Pages/Red%20Bird%20Reef%20sinkings.aspx |title=Red Bird Reef sinkings |access-date=2011-02-11 |archive-date=2011-01-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110104083823/http://www.fw.delaware.gov/Fisheries/Pages/Red%20Bird%20Reef%20sinkings.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>

From 2001 to 2008, within the vicinity of the reef, the amount of marine food per square foot has increased 400 times.<ref name=nytreef/>

The site is the most visited reef site off Delaware's coast, receiving more than 10,000 fishing parties annually, and is home to numerous marine species, including black sea bass, flounder, blue mussels, sponges, barnacles, and coral.<ref name=autogenerated1 /> Also, tuna and mackerel hunt at the reef. The site has become so popular that fishermen steal from each other, and other states apply for the next subway cars to be dumped in their waters.<ref name=nytreef/>

==Similar Reefs== The Redbirds were not the only trains that were reefed. In December 2007, an agreement was made with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control to reef the trains (R32s, R38s, R40/As, R42s) that would be retired by the R160s, as well as work trains (R71s (converted R14s, R15s, R17s, R21s, R22s) that were retired around the same time by converted Redbirds into work trains.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Chiasson |first=George |date=April 2008 |title=New York City Subway Car Update |url=https://erausa.org/pdf/bulletin/2000s/2008/2008-04-bulletin.pdf |journal=The Bulletin |volume=51 |issue=4 |publisher=New York Division, Electric Railroaders’ Association |pages=5 |access-date=April 5, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=R-71 Rider Cars |url=https://www.nycsubway.org/wiki/R-71_Rider_Cars |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=www.nycsubway.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Cohen|first=Michelle|date=March 15, 2019|title=Photo exhibit shows 10 years of subway cars dropped in the Atlantic Ocean to become artificial reefs|work=6sqft|url=https://www.6sqft.com/photo-exhibit-shows-10-years-of-subway-cars-dropped-in-the-atlantic-ocean-to-become-artificial-reefs|access-date=May 19, 2025|archive-date=May 12, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250512094433/https://www.6sqft.com/photo-exhibit-shows-10-years-of-subway-cars-dropped-in-the-atlantic-ocean-to-become-artificial-reefs|url-status=live}}</ref>

Other trains to be reefed included a number of R16s, R30s, and R62s.

==See also==

{{Portal|Ecology}} *Marine biology *Osborne Reef

==References== '''Notes''' {{reflist}}

'''Sources''' *[http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/pdf/reefs/deepwater.pdf Deepwater Reef Coordinates: Reference for coordinates]

'''Further reading''' * {{cite journal|last1=Raineault|first1=Nicole A.|last2=Trembanis|first2=Arthur C.|last3=Miller|first3=Douglas C.|last4=Capone|first4=Vince|title=Interannual changes in seafloor surficial geology at an artificial reef site on the inner continental shelf|journal=Continental Shelf Research|date=2013|volume=58|pages=67–78|doi=10.1016/j.csr.2013.03.008|bibcode=2013CSR....58...67R}}

==External links== *[http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/pdf/reefs/deepwater.pdf Exact coordinates for submerged objects]

Category:Artificial reefs Category:Buildings and structures completed in 2001 Category:Reefs of the Atlantic Ocean Category:Landforms of Delaware Category:Ecosystems Category:Reefs of the United States Category:New York City Subway rolling stock Category:2001 establishments in Delaware