Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
What Cool Junk Have You Found On The Subway?
By
Ben Yakas
Published Jul 30, 2011
Modified Jul 30, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Ben Yakas
Published Jul 30, 2011
Modified Jul 30, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
This past week, somebody left a giant refrigerator on the B/D/F/M platform at the West 4th St station; and today, the Post reports that two television sets were also abandoned at the 6 train's Spring Street station. This isn't exactly a new phenomenon or trend (although the Post might have you believe so), but it got us thinking: what cool junk have you found on the subway?
After years of an incredibly inadequate MTA lost and found department—during a test of it in 2007, only three of 26 items successfully made it to the office—the MTA redesigned their web-based Lost & Found claims system. However, let's just say that in our recent experiences, we've found there's still a lot of room for improvement in their system.
We've come across cobras, prosthetic legs, computer mouses, dentures, crutches, boom boxes, and we've heard of people coming across everything from used cooking pots to discarded trumpets. An "exasperated" MTA worker told the Post he's seen even larger items: "I've seen futons and sofas, bicycles, shopping carts." So what is the coolest item you've come across on the subway...and have you ever taken an item you found?
Tagged
junk
lost and found
MTA
subway
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
The hottest way to show you're an authentic New Yorker is… riding a Citi Bike?
Thanks to Dua Lipa, Kim Kardashian, Timothée Chalamet and more, the rideshare program is having a moment.
By
Lindsay Lee Wallace
Published Oct 8, 2026
Is NYC’s hottest attraction the free observation deck at 1 Centre Street?
If you're playing tourist in your own town, this is an in-demand option.
By
James Ramsay
Arts & Entertainment
Is NYC’s hottest attraction the free observation deck at 1 Centre Street?
If you're playing tourist in your own town, this is an in-demand option.
By
James Ramsay
What happens when NYC kids take lessons in rock music? Really good bands.
By
Jayson Greene
Inside a photographer's journey to visit every neighborhood in New York City
By
Sonia Rao
Banned books and Winnie the Pooh: October in NYC libraries
By
Alec Hamilton
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .