(ATLANTA, Ga.) — Upcycling can be great -- MARTA is preparing rail cars to be used as an artificial reef off the Georgia coast! Once submerged at the bottom of the ocean, the cars will provide safe harbor and a stable habitat for marine life.

Artificial reefs mimic some of the characteristics of a natural reef and attract fish and other marine life. Being reused human-made objects, they attract fishermen, divers, and snorkelers.

This isn’t the first time something like this has happened, either. In the early 2000s, New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) reefed similar railcars, also off the coast of Georgia.

All of the potential hazardous materials, including oil, grease, and other solvents, will be removed before submersion. They’ll be stripped down to the bare railcar shell and harvested for any spare parts.

Reefing usually takes place between mid-April and early November, in order to avoid interfering with the migration patterns of endangered species like the North Atlantic right whale.

MARTA has outlined plans to transport the first two cars in August to the coast near Savannah by freight rail, and the the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will then load the railcars onto barges to be hauled out to their final resting place.

MARTA has identified six other cars for possible reefing in the future. The project in full, including dismantling, cleaning and transportation of the eight cars, will cost just over $2.1 million.

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