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MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) continues to keep its right of way clean, boost environmental efforts and make extra cash at the same time. Since 2006, the agency has been collecting scrap and debris throughout it 700-mile system and selling the scrap metal.

By "turning trash into cash," LIRR has generated more than $3 million the past two years, including $718,469 so far this year, by collecting more than 6,000 gross tons of scrap. The metals primarily are old running rail, train wheels and axles, metal shavings, copper wire, and railroad tie plates and fasteners.

The program helps LIRR meet MTA Executive Director Elliot Sander's mandate that all MTA agencies reduce expenses and operate more efficiently. Scrap metal proceeds helped generate an additional $400,000 to help close this year's budget gap.