Passengers in many instances leave behind belongings on trains, like purses, water canisters, cellphones and even laptops that are later found by public transport personnel.
But a rail conductor working at the Long Island Rail Road, a commuter train network in New York, found something with a bit more sparkle: a bag with two jewelry portfolios containing 36 diamond ring settings valued at about $100,000.
According to Jonathan Yellowday, what he found almost didn't seem real. "I thought, this can't be what it seems," he said in remarks quoted by NBC New York.
Yellowday thought he had seen it all, having been on the job for eight years. But those diamonds blew him away.
Yellowday turned the bag full of jewelry over to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department. The owner, who realized he lost the bag after arriving home, later retrieved his precious belongings.
The jeweler, who didn't want to be identified, thanked everyone who helped recover the diamonds and was happy to meet Yellowday for his honesty and for making it possible.
Long Island Rail President Phil Eng gave Yellowday a commendation for doing the right thing. The rail conductor said there was never a doubt what he needed to do, and his mother told him the same.
"She said good karma is going to come your way. She's all about what you put out there comes back to you," Yellowday said.
In addition to being commended for his good deed, the jewelry owner further expressed his gratitude by promising to craft a diamond piece for Yellowday, NBC New York said.
