I have been interested in the “Merci Train” boxcars for several years and have visited a few of them. I was happy to hear that this one had been found and will be restored. 
Big news from our friends at the United Railroad Historical Society of NJ…
New Jersey’s “Merci Train” boxcar, thought to have been lost and destroyed for over 60 years, has been found and will soon return to the Garden State. URHS announced on March 24 that the car was recently discovered in a warehouse in Kansas City and has been donated to the organization. URHS plans to restore the car and use it as a traveling exhibit and memorial, honoring the sacrifices of soldiers and civilians during both World Wars.
The “Merci Train” comprised 49 boxcars from France gifted to the United States as a thank-you for the country’s aid during World War II. These cars, constructed in the 1890s and previously used to transport troops in World War I, were filled with gifts from French citizens. The 49 boxcars (one for each state, plus the then-Territory of Hawaii) were shipped to New York Harbor in 1949 and unloaded at Weehawken, N.J., before being distributed across the nation. New Jersey’s car was carried to Trenton, where it was formally presented to the state at a ceremony that attracted more than 20,000 attendees.
After the car was unloaded, it was entrusted to the American Legion to serve as a monument and exhibit. However, by 1958, the car’s whereabouts were unknown, and historians believed it was lost for good. In 1993, a similar boxcar was found in a field in Tennessee by the National World War I Museum and Memorial. The owner intended to scrap it, but the WWI museum rescued it and put it in storage in Kansas City, where it remained for the next 30 years. In 2024, the curator of the WWI museum, Dr. Chris Juergens, aimed to uncover the history of the boxcar with assistance from Merci Train historian David Knutson.
“Purely by accident, I saw pictures of an old boxcar posted on Facebook and was able to determine it was New Jersey’s missing boxcar,” Knutson said. “When I realized the Museum and Memorial actually had the car in their possession, I was thrilled. Now, thanks to URHS, it will return to New Jersey and be properly restored for future generations to appreciate.”
URHS Executive Director Kevin Phalon stated that the historical significance of the car cannot be overstated.
“For rail historians, this is like finding buried treasure,” Phalon said. “We would have never expected to see this car again, so we are incredibly grateful to the National WWI Museum and Memorial for saving it. We are honored to be entrusted with its restoration and return to New Jersey.”
Once the car returns to New Jersey it will be restored at URHS’ facility in Boonton. Phalon said he hopes to have the car completed by Memorial Day 2027. The group has already secured its first sponsor, a company called Boxcar, a New Jersey-based commuting, parking and services app. URHS is looking for additional sponsors to help fund the restoration.
For more information, visit URHS.org/MerciTrain.
