The greatest gifts France and the US gave each other were trains - "Friendship" & "Merci" Trains 

Sometimes I get by with a little help from my friends

Let this be a reminder that trains make everything better.

"Both Countries have a long and connected history" as well as rocky relations with the British.

This was incredibly eye opening. I volunteered at the Nevada State Railroad Museum at Carson City for years while it still had the restored Merci Van. I knew it was part of the gratitude campaign from France, but never did I know it was used in Wartime services. Many of us just assumed they were built for the Merci Train, and none of us knew it was actually used in Wartime services, let alone troop transport and Concentration Camp deliveries. It was exchanged with another state museum, but when I see it again, I am certainly going to better acknowledge its place in history.

I'm French and I never heard of that story before. I'm proud of our nations' friendship !

Renaming the first one "The Friend Ship" was absolutely brilliant

I have seen the Merci Train’s car designated for North Carolina at the North Carolina Transportation Museum. The museum makes sure to keep her indoors and in good condition. She still looks new even over 100 years later.

Before watching the video, I thought that "surely the Statue of Liberty is the greatest gift from France", but I'll have to rethink it.

Tbh is a very cute and wholesome story of two countries that help each Other and trains (which are my personal favourite hobbie) are arguably the greatest thing they have given to each other And it makes Thomas and Gordon’s ‘united we stand together we fall’ line more touching

The Texas Military Forces Museum on Camp Mabry have the Texas car of the gratitude train; recently renovated and brought indoors. It’s quite a sight.

Such an incredible piece of history that isn't widely known enough imo

Choo Choo. Nothing free today, not even sick leave for rail workers.

Rivals the American Freedom Train. I'll admit, one thing I did not know about is that a good amount of the Forty-Eight vans are preserved but yet it makes me wonder if there were even attempts to preserve any of the actual stock that were included in the Friendship train. One of the pictures suggests that one of the engines to pull the train was a Southern Pacific Class AC-7 4-8-8-2. Either No. 4159 or 4169.

Don't forget about the statue of liberty ! 🇨🇵 🤝🇺🇲

I've seen the Merci car at the B&O Railroal Museum in Baltimore, and I now know its story. Thank you.

I've seen at least 2 of the Merci Train cars, the one in Nevada and the one in Kentucky. I feel like I've seen a few more but can't remember.

I thought this was going to be describing how the Acela is derived from the TGV but this was way more interesting. Thanks for sharing 😁

One of these cars is currently at the B&O rail museum in Baltimore, MD.

This is the America we should strive to be.

This is really the best train story I have heard. My only negative on it is that I haven't heard it before in school.

Thank you for making this video!! My great great grandfather gave 7 whole carloads of wheat and was one of the biggest donators (of wheat that is). Very good story!

Being from the great state of North Carolina Piedmont region we would often visit Spencer North Carolina’s Transportation history Museum. I remember seeing this car since I was able to walk pretty much. It’s amazing that many of the states were able to Keep their cars, and in the worst of circumstances restore them to their former glory. I’m glad to see that my state been able to appreciate this gift, and Will for generations to come.

Ive seen the Merci Boxcar in Welch, McDowell County, West Virginia several times over the years. All of West Virginia gave up many of our young men and women for both World Wars. My father (originally from Mercer County, West Virginia) was a Combat Veteran with the US Army Air Force in the South Pacific Campaign on Guam, Tinian, Saipan and Iwo Jima. Dad was a Flightline Engineer and Mechanic on the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. He spent 4 years in service to our country. We lost dad in '06 @ 88yo.

Please don't forget the Statue of Liberty. I love trains, I'm a model railroader in 7 different scales with over 500 locomotives and pieces of rolling stock, but I value my freedom and friendship much, much, more and nothing says that better than the Statue of Liberty! ... Thanks

I live right by Camp Perry in Ohio and i had no idea that this train existed or that we even kept a car from it

I saw one of these Merci cars at the B&O Railroad Museum.

I took several pictures of the Wisconsin Merci car in the National Railroad Museum, Green Bay, WI, where Class A4 60008 Dwight D Eisenhower locomotive is on display in the same hall. I hope to someday make a G scale model of that car. Thanks for sharing the story.

I got to see one of the French box vans last Saturday, still in beautiful condition.

Holy shit ! 700 car loads !

I saw the Merci van at the KYRYM when I visited there not too long ago, and the fact that this was part of a friendship train is mind-blowing.

This gives the same energy as the toys 4 tots train in port jervis

I've seen a Merci vans IRL Never thought I'd see a video about them

It's wonderful how much this channel achieves in these short videos. This is so touching and uplifting, as well as another fine piece of train related history. I hope it influences some people to look further into this era. It touches on a related apparent dichotomy of the time, with George C. Marshall serving as US Army Chief of Staff throughout WWII, who Churchill called the "organizer of victory", and also received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953, for conceiving and executing the massive aid provided to Europe after the war

I saw one of the Merci cars when I visited the railroad museum in Baltimore. It looked a bit strange seeing European rolling stock on American rails, especially since it was placed right in front of a 2-6-6-6 loco that dwarfed it in size, but it was pretty cool. Nice story behind it too.

Ron Swanson would've hated this

Just like the Nazi pilot that escorted an American bomber out of Nazi territory, ONE plane away from becoming an ace. This has restored my faith in humanity.

There's a parade float in Shortsville, Ontario County, NY, that's based on a loco and a 40-8. There was a similar one on Staten Island for many years, but I think they scrapped it. It was in virtually every parade on the island from the 50s into at least the 70s

One of these vans is close to where I live, at Fort Indiantown Gap, PA.

This is what we need to be again

The WP article merely says that Mississippi's car is at the "Old GM&O Depot" in Jackson. The Depot was actually renovated and serves as staff offices for the MS Dept of Archives and History and is part of the Museum Complex.

Every video this channel has done is excellent, for multiple reasons, but this one is the best yet, in its way, imo. It's a shame there's such a lack of awareness of these events today. As C.S. Lewis showed so cleverly in The Screwtape Letters, war is a terribly evil thing, full of unspeakable horrors, but it also brings out the best in many people, and brings them closer to God.

This is amazing. I am very sure I saw South Dakota's merci boxcar last year during the State Fair. I was stuck by it, because I love trains and historical stuff and it just stuck me as odd and out of place it was amongst the fair grounds. I knew had to be militariastic due to the emblums and medals, but I couldn't fingure out what it was meant to be. I had to assume it was a memorial for the veterians of the World Wars and moved on quickly to due having a busy schedule ahead of me on that day. I almost had forgotten about it till I saw what the Merci train's boxcars looked like on the video and was racking my brain for a bit of where I saw this and it clicked. I'm so glad you left a link to the wiki for where the surviving Merci boxcars are located, because it confirmed my suspicions. I'm so glad I decided to watch this video. It makes me so thrilled to know the amazing and heartwarming signifcance behind it. I even told a couple of my friends and my grandma, whom all also love history. Thank you for providing videos and telling stories of the past with the locomotives. It makes me sad these days people don't seem to care about history, but it's people like you that bring true stories like this to the light so that we may never forget them.

Viva La Revolution Long live the United States.

I live right by one in holly hill Florida it’s red I pass it every so often now I know it’s story thank you

This is... a surprisingly wholesome story. ^^

I’ve seen two of them with one in my home state at the NCTM and then another in Boulder City, AR

Arizona is one of the most desolate states, but you can find our Merci boxcar on display at the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park right here in Scottsdale.

I've seen the Merci cars for North Carolina and Georgia, they were very well-kept and very nice to see.

This is a genuine rarity in the Train of Thought Library: a wholesome video! Sure, there are many lighthearted and funny ones, but not many wholesome ones.

I got to see one of the French Gratitude Train cars. Was absolutely amazed to see.

I live not too far away from where Arizona’s Merci Train’s car, its a very sweet sight that often seems overlooked now. Glad to see a video on it.

Hello from Mississippi! During my internship and contract work for the Mississippi Department of Archives and History in Jackson, I saw the Mississippi Merci Train daily while parking my car.

And on that note I think I’ll order one or more the cars Lionel made for its version of the friendship train!

My home state’s Merci car got FUCKING LOST. like…not destroyed like some states. It’s possibly out there

“The Friendship Train” - the ultimate war aid package

“Muckraker “ Drew Pearson….a very controversial figure, the Alex Jones of his day. Ain’t nothing new under the Sun. Merci, and Cheers !

I would argue that the “greatest” gift France ever gave the US is The Statue of Liberty aka “La Liberté éclairant le monde”. Heck, Alexandre Eiffel even worked on it… and I don’t even need to tell you what he’s most famous for, given his last name. Now, if you’re looking for a mutual gift, yeah, the friendship train thing is kinda neat

i remember going to the Kentucky Railway Museum when i was little and seeing one of the French vans and being confused by it, i had looked it up later in life and it's truly wonderful just what the human spirit is capable of, wonderful video as always

I can't believe I actually drive by the Iowa car at least once a month....

It's videos like these that make me wish you could do more to a video beside pressing the like button

Paul harvey missed that one and now you know the rest of the story

6:35 the “missing” car is Colorado. It has not been destroyed. It’s just..out there…somewhere

I've been to the Boothbay Railway Village Museum in the past, where the Merci Car for Maine rests. Unfortunately, I don't recall if I had a camera back then, otherwise I'd add an image of said artifact to the guide.

French American Chinese/Taiwanese I almost heard of that I’m proud of this relationship

I live in Utah and the France car is at the Ogden Union station

Let’s go! I wanted to see Nebraska’s and it was sold to a junkyard within a few years :)

I've seen the one for Utah in Ogden Utah at the Ogden union station museum.

I've seen one of those French cars, There's one on display at the railroad museum in Salt Lake city Utah

Holy shit this set my heart into a meltown 🇺🇸🫡

Hey I've seen the van in my state before!!!

I've seen one of these French Railway Mercy cars vans are wagons whatever you guys called at it there in Europe in Ogden Utah at the Utah State Railroad Museum thank you for letting me know the true significance behind the story of this Railway car good job training thought keep up the great work my friend

I have seen one of those box cars that where sent to the us it’s in Spencer train museum in North Carolina

How about covering the aborted 5AT Advanced Technology, the most advanced steam engine never built?

I find it both humorous and satisfying that Americans like me disagree with the British in our opinions of the French.

A love it man 😊❤

The NCTM has one of the French boxcars

If I'm correct, one of these French train cars resides in Spencer North Carolina at the NCTM to this day

America was built different back then

*video* *The Hungarian bloke listening to ALL of this:*

I personally saw at least Maryland's and Kentucky's.

France in the 1940s: Sends entire train loaded with gifts to USA France in the 1970s: Sends warship to wall street to demand the gold theyre owed at gunpoint

😊👍

Don't mess with my toot-toot😂

The Mr beast before the Mr beast

Is one of these vans in salt lake City? Cuz I think I may have seen one of them not knowing its significance.

This is why we should’ve given France a statue back.

Neat

5:08 nothing for Alaska?

Its so weird to hear of the usa trains... Which is so sad

great friends until freedom fries

sorry, but that big copper statue in New York Harbor will always be France’s greatest gift. and you kissed the war with France in 1797/98 that the UK used to keep the US out of their neck of the woods forcing the US into neutrality starting in 1800 until the UK broke it in 1812…

Why current international relationships are…….🤦

guess the french aren't so bad

W

second :)

The hell happened to America?

I would will the friendship to train to come back to help Ukraine and Russia after this war ends

Y’all just forgot who gave the US the Statue of Liberty huh?

The Mr beast before the Mr beast