Help me find my family! Do you recognize me? I was riding the Harlem Line on Monday, December 16th and I got lost! I was taking the 5:19 train from Grand Central to Wassaic, but I guess I forgot to get off at the right stop, and I found myself in Wassaic yard! Don’t worry about me, I’m doing fine, some nice people brought me home and took care of me. I got to see a pretty Christmas tree and some really cool artifacts from railroad history. I even tried on a new hat, it was from the New York Central Railroad and was over 50 years old!
 
 
 
On Tuesday morning they were even going to let me operate the train down to Grand Central so I could find my family, but I thought it would be better to let the crew who know what they’re doing handle that! I sat in the back of the train and looked out the window as we went back to Grand Central, but I couldn’t really remember which stop was mine. I really miss my family, though. I hope they’ll come and find me – I’m in the Lost and Found in Grand Central now. You’d be surprised if you saw the place! So many coats and umbrellas in a huge room full of shelves! Please, if you recognize me, tell my family that I’m here, okay?
 
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In all seriousness, a link was blowing up the interwebs the other day – a young girl had lost her stuffed lion on the train. By the power of the internet, and twitter, the two had become reunited. Scant hours later, I found myself on my nightly Harlem Line train, and as we approached our final stop in Wassaic, a little bear sat alone. While he could have gotten dropped into the lost and found bin in the yard, destined to spend at least one night in the damp cold, I opted to take him home for the evening and get him on the next morning train to Grand Central’s Lost and Found.
Though Metro-North’s Lost and Found has a remarkable knack for reuniting people with their lost property, I thought that perhaps the internet may again be able to help the process along. At minimum, when the bear gets reunited with its family, a young one may find their bear’s journeys in an engineer’s seat fun!
Um, can I say this is probably the best post EVAR?
I agree! Boy, it’s dusty in here!!
Sweet story, thanks for sharing it.
The Newark Star Ledger once reported that a real bear got lost in northern New Jersey. A kittycat chased it up a tree. They had a cute picture of the bear high up in a tree with the cat standing guard at the base.
I felt sorry for the bear and wanted to adopt it, but my neighbors had some strong opinions about that.
I love this. :)
One of the best Christmas stories ever! And that picture of the bear (wistfully?) looking out the window of the train as he heads south is priceless. This has all the makings of a classic children’s story. Soon to be a major motion picture? He may not be reunited with his lost family but I picture him celebrating Christmas with his new found friends.
Here’s one idea for a title: Christmas Lost and Found.
Worth a signal boost to Reddit.
What a lovely thing you have done! You are such a good person, I hope all your holiday wishes come true!!