United Railroad Historical Society of NJ press release
New Jersey's "Merci Train" Boxcar, believed to have been destroyed for more than 60 years has been found—and it is returning home to New Jersey!URHS is thrilled to announce that the National WWI Museum and Memorial has donated this historic boxcar to our organization, and it will undergo a full restoration at our shop in Boonton, NJ.
This boxcar is a truly once-in-a-lifetime discovery. In 1949, France gifted 49 of these boxcars to the United States as a symbolic gesture of gratitude for American aid during and after World War II. The cars, known as "40 and 8" boxcars, had been used to transport troops during World War I and themselves are 130 years old. When they arrived in America, they were filled with heartfelt gifts from ordinary French citizens—many of which remain preserved today in the collections of the New Jersey State Museum and The Newark Museum of Art. While most of the 49 boxcars (one for each state and Washington D.C.) are displayed in museums and parks across the country, New Jersey’s car was one of six that had been lost to time—or so we thought.
In 1993, the National WWI Museum & Memorial discovered this boxcar languishing in a field in Tennessee. The museum accessioned the car into its collection and placed it in a Kansas City, MO, warehouse for safekeeping. In 2024, thanks to the dedication of museum staff and Merci Train historians, the car was positively identified as New Jersey’s missing boxcar. The museum has now chosen to return the car to its rightful home, and we are honored to serve as its new caretakers.
To transport the boxcar from Kansas City to New Jersey, URHS is raising $20,000. These funds will cover preparation, stabilization, shrink-wrapping, and transportation of the car via flatbed truck. Any additional funds will support an initial evaluation by a historic architect. We are especially grateful to the appropriately-named Boxcar, our first platinum sponsor, for jumpstarting this effort with a generous $7,500 donation!
The Merci Train boxcar represents more than just railroad history—it is a symbol of international friendship, gratitude, and the enduring legacy of those who served in the World Wars. Bringing it home is an extraordinary opportunity, and with your help, we can restore this lost treasure for future generations to appreciate.
Learn more and donate today at https://www.urhs.org/mercitrain
For corporate sponsorships, visit https://www.urhs.org/mercitrainsponsorship
Learn more about the Merci Train and other cars around the country at https://mercitrain.org/
