New :

MÄRKLIN & RAILROADS

www.trains-and-trains.dk : A personal view by Christian Vinaa


New :

  • Scale and size
    • 5", 1, LGB, H0, TT, N, Z
  • Electricity - Electronics
    • Turnouts
    • Signals
    • Light barrier
  • Real trains ( scale 1:1 )
    • Real trains - scale 1:1
    • Selection of train videos
  • Items for sale
    • NEW
    • Second-hand



The Merci Train : Magazines



"The Merci Train" - "The Gratitude Train" - "Train de la Reconnaissance Francaise"

Table of Contents :

Small stories :

David C. White - Farmer in Kansas Ruth Nathanson - High school senior from New York City


Individual states :
Bold = new content. (G) = can be seen on Google Streetview.

Arizona - Alabama - Arkansas (G) - California (G) - Colorado - Connecticut - Delaware (G) - Florida (G) - Georgia - Hawaii - Illinois - Indiana - Iowa (G) - Kansas - Kentucky - Louisiana (G) - Maine - Maryland - Massachusetts - Michigan - Minnesota - Mississippi - Missouri - Montana - Nebraska - Nevada - New Jersey - New Hampshire (G) - New Mexico - New York - North Carolina - North Dakota - Ohio - Oklahoma - Oregon (G) - Pennsylvania (G) - Rhode Island - South Carolina (G) - South Dakota (G) - Tennessee (G) - Texas - Utah (G) - Vermont - Virginia - Washington (G) - Washington DC - West Virginia (G) - Wisconsin - Wyoming (G).



During the years, but mostly around 1947 - 1949, various magazines had articles about first "The Friendship Train" and then "The Merci / Gratitude Train".

Here is a list of the articles I have found. I cannot take credit for having found all of these by myself, and I of course appreciate an email if you have information about an article not listed below.

Articles are listed by date of issue.

The daily newspapers had countless articles but they are not included in this list. Neither are newer articles describing the displays of the "Merci Train" boxcars today.

You can access the articles on a password-protected page :

Enter your password:



  • TIME Magazine - February 14, 1949.
    Article about the "Gratitude Train". ( No scans - YET )

  • France Illustration - Volume 175 - February 19, 1949.
    Front-page ( page 167 ) with large photo and single page ( page 187 ) with text and 11 photos.

  • LIFE Magazine - February 28, 1949.
    Page 72 - 74 : 3 pages with color and b&w photos about the "Gratitude Train".

  • Erie Railroad Magazine - March, 1949.
    Story about the arrival of the "Gratitude Train" at Weehawken, New Jersey.
    ( No scans - YET - but OCR text )

  • The American Society Legion of Honor Magazine - Vol. 20-21, 1949.
    Article by "The American Society of the French Legion of Honor".
    ( No scans - YET )

  • "Rail et Route" - June 1949.
    Revue mensuelle illustrée d'information sur les transports et le turisme.
    French monthly illustrated magazine covering the transport and turism sectors.
    4 pages with b&w photos about the "Gratitude Train".

  • "Railroad Magazine" - Vol. 50 # 3 - December 1949.
    Cover : "Oil for the lamps of Philadelphia" ( Herb Mott )
    Page 127 : "Photo - At "Chicago Railroad Fair" is boxcar from French Gratitude Train" ( No scans - YET )

  • La Charte - # 5 - August / September, 1999.
    Apparently 1 page - Page 26.
    ( No scans - YET )

  • TRP - "The Railroad Press" Magazine
    Issue 43 - [ Oct-Noc-Dec 1999 ] - Article and several photos.
    Issue 90 - [ Fall 2011 ? ] - Connecticut boxcar in Hartford.
    ( No scans - YET )


YOUR banner could be here.

Contact webmaster for more information.





Copyright © Christian Vinaa
2014 -
"Märklin" and other brand names and product names and logo's
are ©, TM or registered trademarks of their respective owners,
and are used on this website for purely informational purposes.

"Let's Lok'n Roll"