The French Gratitude Train (), commonly referred to as the Merci Train, were 49 World War I era "forty and eight" boxcars given to the United States by France in response to the 1947 U.S. Friendship Train. It arrived in Weehawken, New Jersey on February 2, 1949.
Background The idea to send a "thank you" gift to the United States for the $40 million in food and other supplies sent to France and Italy in 1947 came from a French railroad worker and World War II veteran named Andre Picard. Donations for the Merci Train came from over six million citizens of France and Italy in the form of dolls, statues, clothes, ornamental objects, furniture, and even a Legion of Honour medal purported to have belonged to Napoleon.
History
The boxcars were "forty-and-eights" used during both world wars. The term refers to the cars' carrying capacity, said to be 40 men or eight horses. Built starting in the 1870s as regular freight boxcars, they were originally used in military service by the French army in both World Wars, and then later used by the German occupation in World War II and finally by the Allied liberators.
In 1949, France sent 49 of those boxcars to the United States (one for each state and the Territory of Hawaii) laden with various treasures, as a show of gratitude for the liberation of France. This train was called the Merci Train, and was sent in response to trains full (over 700 boxcars) of supplies known as the Friendship Train sent by the American people to France in 1947. Each of the Merci Train boxcars carried five tons of gifts, all of which were donated by private citizens.
The Train and all 49 cars arrived aboard the Magellan on February 2, 1949, with over 25,000 onlookers in attendance. On the side of the gift-laden French freighter was painted, "MERCI AMERICA". Immediately the trains were distributed amongst the states.
Boxcars The Merci Train boxcars were opened and turned into travelling exhibits before each state committee distributed the entire contents. The 43 surviving boxcars are on public display within each state as follows: + Boxcar Image Location City or town Notes Alabama U.S. Veterans Memorial Museum Huntsville The Alabama State Archives has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. Arizona McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park Scottsdale The Arizona Capitol Museum has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. Arkansas American Legion Post 41 Helena–West Helena The Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. California American Legion Post 509 Fresno The California State Archives has a collection of records from the French Merci Train Gift Distribution Committee. French Merci Train, 1949, F3640:2506, Earl Warren Papers, Governor's Office Administrative Files, Division of Banks, California State Archives. Colorado Unknown Car has been lost. The Woodruff Memorial Library has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. Connecticut Destroyed The Abbey of Regina Laudis was gifted a French church bell from the boxcar. Delaware American Legion Post 6 Seaford Owned and maintained by Forty and Eight Voiture 1320 of Sussex County Florida Holly Hill City Hall Holly Hill The city hall has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. Georgia Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History Kennesaw The Georgia State Archives has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. Idaho Old Idaho State Penitentiary Boise The Idaho Historical Society has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. Illinois Unknown Possibly abandoned and destroyed at the old 1948-1949 Chicago Railroad Fair site. Indiana Veterans National Memorial Shrine and Museum Fort Wayne The Fort Wayne History Center has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. Iowa Antique Acres Cedar Falls The Iowa Historical Society has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. Kansas Veterans Memorial Park Hays Owned and maintained by Forty and Eight Voiture 1543 of Ellis County Kentucky Kentucky Railway Museum New Haven The Kentucky Historical Society has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. Louisiana Old Louisiana State Capitol Baton Rouge Maine Railway Village Museum Boothbay The Maine State Museum has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. Maryland B&O Railroad Museum Baltimore The Montgomery County Historical Society has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. Massachusetts Destroyed scrapped in the 1960s Michigan American Legion Post 183 Lansing Owned and maintained by Forty and Eight Voiture 946 of Eaton County. Minnesota Minnesota Military Museum Little Falls Owned and maintained by Forty and Eight Grand Voiture du Minnesota. Mississippi Old GM&O Depot Jackson The Museum of Mississippi History has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. Missouri Dakotaland Museum Sedalia Owned and maintained by Forty and Eight Voiture 333 of Pettis County. Montana Montana Military Museum Fort Harrison The Montana Historical Society has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. Nebraska Destroyed partially scrapped in 1951, remainder converted to shed and destroyed in 1961. The Nebraska Historical Society has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. Nevada Nevada State Railroad Museum Boulder City Boulder City The Nevada State Museum has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. New Hampshire 126 Reed St. Manchester Saint Anselm College has a collection of gifts from the boxcar. New Jersey United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey Boonton Had been missing since 1958, with unverified claims that it had been scrapped, the boxcar was rediscovered in Tennessee by the National World War I Museum and Memorial in 1993, and placed in storage in Kansas City, Missouri. The car was confirmed as the New Jersey boxcar in 2024, and donated to the United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey, who plans to restore it at their Boonton yard. The New Jersey State Museum has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. New Mexico Expo New Mexico Albuquerque The fair grounds has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. New York Utica Union Station Utica The Met has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. Relocated to Utica in 2026. North Carolina North Carolina Transportation Museum Spencer The North Carolina History Museum has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. North Dakota North Dakota Heritage Center Bismarck The State Historical Society of North Dakota has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. Ohio Camp Perry Near Port Clinton The Ohio Historical Society has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. Oklahoma J. D. McCarty Center Norman The Oklahoma History Center has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. Oregon Simpson Park North Bend The Benton County Historical Society has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. Pennsylvania Fort Indiantown Gap Near Jonestown The Blair County and Lycoming County historical societies have collections of gifts from the boxcar. Rhode Island Museum of Work and Culture Woonsocket The museum has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. South Carolina Memorial Park Bishopville South Dakota State Fairgrounds Huron The Dakotaland Museum has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. Tennessee American Legion Post 145 Bristol The Tennessee State Museum has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. Texas Texas Military Forces Museum Camp Mabry The Briscoe History Center has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. Utah Utah State Railroad Museum Ogden Vermont Vermont National Guard Library and Museum Colchester The Vermont Historical Society and the Wood Art Gallery have collections of gifts from the boxcar. Virginia Virginia War Museum Newport News Washington Sarg Hubbard Riverside Park Yakima The Karshner Museum has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. West Virginia Veterans' Park Welch Tu-Endie-Wei State Park has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. Wisconsin National Railroad Museum Ashwaubenon The Hoard Historical Museum and the Wisconsin Historical Society have collections of gifts from the boxcar. Wyoming American Legion Post 6 Cheyenne The Wyoming Museum has a collection of French gifts from the boxcar. Territory of Hawaii Hawaiian Railway Society Ewa Beach
References
Further reading
External links
Merci Train Merci Train at Historical Marker Database