LIRR Builds Improved Lost & Found Facility In Penn Station

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — Long Island Rail Road riders will now have an easier time recovering items lost on the rails following the construction of a brand-new lost-and-found center in Penn Station, MTA officials announced this week.

The new facility is both more spacious and better lit, providing a better experience for riders searching for their forgotten items, transit officials said. The ADA-accessible office also features iPad kiosks where riders can file lost item claims and receive customer service.

"We understand that losing a personal item can cause a great deal of anxiety for our customers, and we want to help alleviate that loss any way we can," LIRR President Philip Eng said in a statement. "We remain focused on continuing customer experience improvements, and our employees do a tremendous job helping reunite customers with their lost items. This new Lost and Found space will help us refine the overall process and help serve our customers better."

Customers who filed lost item claims are generally reuinited with their belongings, MTA officials said. About 55% of claims result in an item being returned to its owner, and that number may increase following the opening of the new center. Lost items are stored in the officer for up to 36 months after they are found, transit officials said.

The new lost and found office is located inside Penn Station's exit concourse between tracks 16 and 17. The 1,100-square-foot space was previosly occupied by a Hudson News store. It's unclear what the MTA plans to do with the old lost and found space in the station's main gate area.

About 20,000 items are lost on the Long Island Rail Road each year, transit officials said. The most common items that turn up include backpacks, cellphones, umbrellas, keys and wallets. This being New York City, items such as prosthetic legs, chainsaws and a bust of Jesus have also been left behind on the LIRR, transit officials said.