Mississippi Restores Historic Merci Train Boxcar
The Mississippi Department of Archives and History has completed restoration of the state's post-World War II Merci Train boxcar in Jackson.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Historical
The Mississippi Department of Archives and History has completed restoration of the state's Merci Train, a gray boxcar gifted by France after World War II. The upgrades included a fresh coat of paint, structural reinforcement, and attachment of replica plaques.
Why it matters
The restoration returns the boxcar to its post-World War II design and preserves a tangible link to a postwar exchange between France and the United States. The train is part of a national gift effort that sent boxcars across the country.
Over 700 railroad cars were sent from the United States to Europe in December 1947 as part of the Merci Train effort. The Mississippi Department of Archives and History received 40 objects from the train, which remain in its permanent collection, though the restoration cost was not disclosed.
The players
Mississippi Department of Archives and History
The Mississippi Department of Archives and History is the state agency responsible for preserving the state's historical records and artifacts, including the Merci Train collection.
Drew Pearson
Drew Pearson was an American journalist who launched the 1947 effort to aid rehabilitation in France and Germany through the Merci Train donations.
The details
The Merci Train is a gray boxcar located behind the Old Capitol Museum and the GM&O Train Depot. The restoration returned the train to its post-World War II design through a fresh coat of paint, structural reinforcement, and replica plaques.
Timeline
In 1947, journalist Drew Pearson launched an effort to bolster rehabilitation in France and Germany.
In December 1947, over 700 U.S. railroad cars arrived in Europe.
In 1949, Mississippi's Merci Train boxcar arrived in Meridian.
The Merci Train is open to the public year-round, from dawn to dusk.
Historical Context
The restoration preserves one of the individual boxcars from the 1947 Merci Train effort, a national donation campaign that sent over 700 railroad cars from the United States to Europe. Mississippi's boxcar arrived in Meridian in 1949 and now stands as a surviving physical record of that postwar exchange.
The Merci Train is open to the public year-round from dawn to dusk, behind the Old Capitol Museum and the GM&O Train Depot in Jackson. Visitors can view the restored boxcar at no cost during those hours.
The takeaway
The restoration of Mississippi's Merci Train keeps a physical reminder of the 1947 postwar donation effort accessible to residents and visitors. Those interested in the history can see the boxcar in person in Jackson.
Further reading
Explore more about the state's preserved landmarks in Historical.
Source note: This article includes information reported by RedHillsMSNews.
