Merci Train - Related Links
Tabatha Butler has established a website about the Merci Train history in Idaho. The website includes some of the history of the train, it's boxcars, and the gifts of gratitude collections in other states. idahomercitrain.omeka.net/.
Linda Baten Johnson Freindship Train Book
Linda Johnson is a retired educator and author who has written a novel for Junior High school age children about the history of the Friendship Train. Linda is a great story teller and a master of the art of weaving together the facts of history and the fictional characters she has created to help her make the history memorable to her audience. Although her intended audience is juniors, the book is an enjoyable read for all ages. The link will take you to her website. lindabatenjohnson.com Clicking books will lead you to a description of her book which can be purchased through Amazon.
The Merci Train Facebook Group
Communicate with people from around the world who are interested in the Merci Train. You can also follow the incredible work of Jeff Livingston as he rebuilds the Hawaii car located at the Hawaii Railway Society.
40&8 National Box Car Association Facebook Group
The National Box Car Association was founded in 1965 as an affiliate of “La Societe’ de Forty & Eight” with the primary purpose of preserving the Box Car as the symbol of the Forty & Eight. Communicate with the people who are responsible for maintaing some of the remaining Merci Train Boxcars.
Members of La Societie des Quarante Hommes et Huit Chevaux, (roughly translated to English: The Society of Forty Men and Eight Horses) have been caretakers of many of the Merci Train boxcars since their arrival in the United States back in 1949, soon to be 75 years ago. They are to be greatly admired for their dedication to the memory of Americans who sacrificed so much during World Wars One and Two. They consider the boxcars a symbol to remind themselves, and all of us, of those 20th century patriots and heroes and of their sacrifices.
North Dakota State Historical Society
A great site with a nice interactive feature, history of gifts to the state and copies of the shields on the outside of the boxcar.
Link to Dorothy Scheele's Friendship Train history, chronicling the 1947 action of Americans that gave the French cause for responding with the Merci Train.