LIRR Opens New $25 Million Wash Facility in Babylon

The Long Island Rail Road opened a new $25 million train washing facility in Babylon Village on Tuesday that will allow for over 300 train cars to be washed daily, according to Newsday.

The facility, located next to the E. Donald Conroy Golf Course, started to be built in 2010, using funds from the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2010.

"We were shovel-ready and we did create jobs," said LIRR President Helena Williams to Newsday at the dedication ceremony. "We were putting Long Island people to work to build this Long Island-based project."

The facility automatically washes a train when it enters the building using detergents, brushed and water jets to soap and scrub the vehicles. The LIRR also noted the facility's environmentally friendly features, including solar roof panels and reusing nearly 70 percent of the water.

The new facility replaces a wash building on the site that was in use since the 1970's.