Stephen Mallon

Photo exhibit shows 10 years of subway cars dropped in the Atlantic Ocean to become artificial reefs

Air Break, 2008. Photo by Stephen Mallon.

March 15, 2019

Photo exhibit shows 10 years of subway cars dropped in the Atlantic Ocean to become artificial reefs

By now you may have seen Stephen Mallon’s mind-bending photo series showing thousands of decommissioned NYC subway cars being tossed into the Atlantic Ocean. The MTA initiative was undertaken more than 10 years ago with the goal of creating artificial reefs that would support sea life along the eastern seabed. The amazing photo series, briefly on view at NYU’s Kimmel Galleries, documented the train cars being heaved into the briny deep from Delaware to South Carolina over three years. Now, a new exhibit, "Sea Train: Subway Reef Photos by Stephen Mallon," opening March 20th at the New York Transit Museum’s Grand Central Gallery, features 19 large-format photographs that capture the iconic subway cars, dropped like toy trains from hulking barges as they're being deployed as sea-life-sustaining artificial reefs,
More amazing photos and their story, this way

Events & Things To Do

January 21, 2015

POLL: Do You Agree with How the MTA Gets Rid of Old Subway Cars?

By Dana Schulz

Yesterday, we featured the breathtaking photography of Stephen Mallon, who for three years documented decommissioned NYC subway cars being dumped into the Atlantic Ocean. What might initially seem like an act of pollution is actually an environmental effort to create artificial reef habitats for fostering sea life along the eastern seabed. Some readers, though, felt […]

Transit

January 20, 2015

Photo Series Captures Three Years of NYC Subway Cars Being Dumped in the Atlantic Ocean

By Dana Schulz

Who knew that the graveyard for decommissioned NYC subway cars was at the bottom of the ocean? If this is news to you, then you don't want to miss this photo series by Stephen Mallon, who documented the train cars being dumped into the Atlantic from Delaware to South Carolina over three years. But before you call 311 about this seeming act of pollution, let us tell you that it's actually an environmental effort to create artificial reef habitats for fostering sea life along the eastern seabed, which was started over ten years ago.
More photos and info right this way

Stephen Mallon

Photo exhibit shows 10 years of subway cars dropped in the Atlantic Ocean to become artificial reefs

POLL: Do You Agree with How the MTA Gets Rid of Old Subway Cars?

Photo Series Captures Three Years of NYC Subway Cars Being Dumped in the Atlantic Ocean

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