Existing comment:
French Boxcar
During World War I and II army troops were transported around France in trains. Troops were frequently loaded into boxcars which were boldly stenciled with their carrying capacity: "Hommes 40-Cheveaux 8" (40 men or 8 horses).
The Merci boxcar was a gesture of gratitude from the people of France to the people of the United States for aid given to France after World War II. In 1949, the Merci Train was sent to the United States. It consisted of 49 '40 & 8' boxcars, one of each fo the 48 states and one shared by District of Columbia and the Territory of Hawaii. Utah's boxcar was presented on February 22, 1949 filled with a variety of items donated by the people of France. Some of the artifacts remain in the care of the Utah Historical Society.
This car was built in 1885 in Lyon, France. The boxcar was restored by the 40 et 8 Grande du Utah, the local chapter of La Société des Quarante Hommes et Huit Chevaux. The project was headed by Byron Lewis with generous grants from George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Foundation and Weber County RAMP. |