Merci Train Rededication

On Tuesday, March 26, the Mississippi Department of Archives and History rededicated the restored "Merci Train" that was one of the ones presented after WW2 by the French people to thank the United States for its actions in both freeing France from German domination and for providing assistance in rebuilding France after the war.  As I published in earlier posts (see below), the old "40 & 8" boxcar was in terrible shape and was almost lost.  But after a lengthy restoration and rebuilding, it looks like new!

I attended the rededication and took the following pictures.

Hank Holmes, the Director of the Department of Archives and History, opens the ceremony with a few words about the history of the boxcar and its restoration.  Standing on the right is Robert Parker Adams, the architect who supervised the restoration.



Some of the spectators at the rededication, including William Winter (on right in suit), former governor and former president of the archives board of directors; Elbert Hilliard (in tan coat), director emeritus of the department; and two of the distinguished WW2 veterans present.

Bob Adams, the architect, described the restoration process which included moving the car to its present location at the historic Gulf, Mobile, and Ohio (GM&O) Railroad depot and completely stripping it down to the bare structural members.

Our distinguished guests (from left) - Mr. William W. Correll (WW2 veteran), Mme Keltoum Rowland (honorary French consul to Mississippi), and Mr. R. B. Andrews (WW2 veteran).  Both Correll and Andrews actually rode in the 40 & 8 cars during their service in France during WW2.

The interpretive plaque that has been mounted in front of the boxcar.  I have to get a better picture of this and at a better angle so I can make it more readable.

The 40 & 8 car in all of its new glory.  It is protected by a shed that is designed to resemble the shed across the tracks at the GM&O depot.  And it is a good thing the shed was put over it as Jackson had a severe hail storm on Monday, March 17.  Without the shed, the roof of the car would have taken a severe pounding.  Whew!!

Previous posts:

http://colcampbellbarracks.blogspot.com/2012/04/mississippis-merci-train.html

http://colcampbellbarracks.blogspot.com/2012/05/mississippis-merci-train-part-2.html

Mississippi's "Merci Train" -- Part 2

Last week I attended a presentation that discussed the work that had been and will be done on our 40 & 8 boxcar.  Since my last posting, the roof panels have been installed to help protect the boxcar from the elements.  Interpretive signage still has to be installed.

Workmen install the roof panels and put a waterproof sealant on the finished product.

Our Museum Division curators have also installed a small exhibit in the lobby of our main building about the Merci Train.  Here are pictures of the exhibit, some suitably cropped so you can see all the panels.  Please click on each picture to see a larger image.

The overall exhibit

The left portion of the vertical panel.  Notice the doll the little girl on the right is holding.  It is similar to one in the exhibit case (picture below).

Close-up of above picture so the descriptive sign is readable.

Center portion of the vertical panel

Close-up of above picture so the descriptive sign is readable.

Right portion of the vertical panel

Close-up of top part of above picture so the descriptive sign is readable.

Close-up of bottom part of above picture so the descriptive sign is readable.

A selection of gifts from the French people

There were a number of items that were included with each of the 49 boxcars.  Mississippi's items are pictured above, with some close-up pictures below.

A booklet on the French Army's efforts in WW2 and a painted drumhead

A charcoal drawing of the front of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris

A little girl's doll, similar to the one in the picture above of the left portion of the vertical panel

A very nicely done piece of embroidery

Once the interpretive signage is installed, I'll post more pictures.  I hope that you are enjoying this "history lesson" and will try to see the "Merci Train" in your state, if it still exists as some have been allowed to be destroyed.  You can use this web site to see if your state's boxcar is still extant.

Mississippi's "Merci Train"

The renovation is finally complete on Mississippi's "Merci Train" 40 & 8 boxcar.  It has been completely rebuilt and painted and is now on display beside the newly refurbished Gulf, Mobile, & Ohio Railroad Depot, Capitol Green, in Jackson.

Official disclaimer -- I am an employee of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, who is the owner of the 40 & 8 boxcar.  The pictures were taken by a co-worker and by me and are posted here as a tribute to the Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines who helped destroy the tyrannies that brought about WW1 and WW2.

Details behind the "Merci Train" which were gifts from France and the French citizens after WW2 -- http://www.mercitrain.org/  .  For details about the restoration project, complete with a picture of the state of the car before it was restored, please click on "Merci Boxcars by State - Mississippi" then click on "Current Status of the Mississippi Merci Boxcar" link to go to a press release from the Archives Department.

A co-worker friend of mine, Brother William, took the first series of pictures with his camera phone as they moved the car from its former location to its new location last fall.  They used a rather large crane to lift it onto a flat bed trailer and then back off at the new site, only about 100 yards away.

Removing the car from the old site.  The new site is barely visible at the left edge of the gravel lot in the background.

A rather fuzzy close-up of the decrepit state of the car.  A better "before" picture is in the "mdah" link above.

Ready to hoist away.

Loading the car on the tractor trailer rig.  You can see the new site (dark area) in the gravel in the left back ground.

Arriving at the new site by the GM&O Depot.  The track is now abandoned and only exists right there by the depot.

Getting the crane situated before the lift.

Beginning the lift.

"Lower away, handsomely!"

The lift is completed.

The car looks rather lonely at its new site.

Once in its new site, the car was completely stripped, all the way to the frame.  I kept meaning to get some pictures while the car was being refurbished but kept forgetting to bring my camera into work.  After a long number of months, the work was finished and I took the following pictures on Easter Saturday.

The completed car sits on its own little section of track outside the GM&O Depot.  My son, Sean, stands in front of it.

The east (or "back") side of the car.  The crests are those of the various French provinces.

The west (or "front") side of the car.  Here you can see the emblem of the Merci Train (lower left corner) and the "40 hommes - 8 cheveaux" placard (to right of upper door corner).

The newly refurbished Gulf, Mobile, & Ohio Railroad Depot which now houses the staff offices of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History's Museum Division.

For many years I despaired that the car would just moulder away, lost to wood rot and neglect.  But this fine example of historic restoration will keep the car in good condition for many generations yet to come to see and learn about the generosity of the American people after such a devastating war abroad.