Meet the People Who Retrieve the Stuff You Drop On the Tracks

What happens if you drop your stuffed bunny rabbit on the tracks of the New York City Subway System? Never jump down to get it! Instead, go to the booth and tell them what and where. The booth clerk calls Rail Command. Rail Command calls the field office, and the field office sends one of the two dedicated crews to assist. Once found, Bunny waits back at the booth until you come back for it.

Armed with flashlights and very long tongs, the MTA’s lost items retrievers save dropped items from the tracks while staying safely out of the way of any oncoming trains… phones, keys, wallets, and even skateboards have been on their agendas. From Animal New York:

The job is one of the most coveted by track workers, and only the most-tenured get it. Today, I’m following Tom Gurecki, 54, and Mike Rosado, 58, both of whom are New York City residents who have worked for the MTA for thirty years. Today is Tom’s swan song; he’s retiring in time for the holiday weekend. He’s spent the last seven years here, partnering with Mike. They work the 7AM-3PM shift, which consists of a lot of waiting around for calls, especially after the morning rush. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t busy; in 2013, their office alone fielded 9,239 calls.

In the archives, more NYC jobs: NYPD’s Dancing Traffic Cop, Behind the Signs: A Look at the DOT Sign Shop, and New York City’s pothole repair team.

via Gizmodo.