Sand Traps, by Rail
Sand Traps, by Rail Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief
The next time you’re golfing on Long Island, N.Y., and you hit a ball into a sand trap, think of the Brookhaven Rail Terminal (BRT), a rail/truck transload facility in Yaphank, Town of Brookhaven.
BRT is currently transporting 2,100 tons of sand made of silicon dioxide to Long Island every month. The material, very much in demand on Long Island’s more-than 140 golf courses, is transported in 100-ton covered hoppers.
BRT President Andrew Kaufman, a self-described “average duffer,” says he has become an expert on his client’s product. “Silica sand consumers look at factors including drainage, vulnerability to wind and water erosion, chemical stability, color and most important, angle of repose,” he says. “These factors will influence the golfing experience, so groundskeepers review all of this in selecting sand for their bunkers