I am posting this for Earl Bennett who generates most of the data for the Merci Train site.

Poor quality photo is of model train car that is 38 in long 16 in high and 14 in wide. It was reportedly made before 1930 and is made entirely of wood, including the wheels (which need repaired), also one of the sliding doors is broke down the middle but other than that it is in excellent cond.

It is marked on both sides "40 homme 8 chevaux etat" and also reads "etat" on both doors.

Does anybody have any idea of the origins of this piece? We are trying to help a person who recently purchased the car and is trying to find out more about it. My guess is it's just a home built model.

Merci Train

hkading@rypn.org

> I am posting this for Earl Bennett who
> generates most of the data for the Merci
> Train site.

> Poor quality photo is of model train car
> that is 38 in long 16 in high and 14 in
> wide. It was reportedly made before 1930 and
> is made entirely of wood, including the
> wheels (which need repaired), also one of
> the sliding doors is broke down the middle
> but other than that it is in excellent cond.

> It is marked on both sides "40 homme 8
> chevaux etat" and also reads
> "etat" on both doors.

> Does anybody have any idea of the origins of
> this piece? We are trying to help a person
> who recently purchased the car and is trying
> to find out more about it. My guess is it's
> just a home built model.
It looks to me to be a model of a French, world war I box car. Thewy werec rated at 40 men or 8 horses. It was these cars that the 40 & 8 organization in the American Legion was named after. They were often used to transport troops.

john_nansen@yahoo.com

> I am posting this for Earl Bennett who
> generates most of the data for the Merci
> Train site.

> Poor quality photo is of model train car
> that is 38 in long 16 in high and 14 in
> wide. It was reportedly made before 1930 and
> is made entirely of wood, including the
> wheels (which need repaired), also one of
> the sliding doors is broke down the middle
> but other than that it is in excellent cond.

> It is marked on both sides "40 homme 8
> chevaux etat" and also reads
> "etat" on both doors.

> Does anybody have any idea of the origins of
> this piece? We are trying to help a person
> who recently purchased the car and is trying
> to find out more about it. My guess is it's
> just a home built model.

'Etat' means state. '40 hommes 8 chevaux
means 40 men 8 horses.

What does it say to the right of the door? It looks like ...(unknown)...Pullman...France...(some numbers? possibly a date?.

As stated, during both the First and Second World Wars, freight cars were used to carry troops...in WWII they were usually POWs on their way to Germany.

My guess is, it was built by someone who had to ride in one.

Bill



BillyDee53@aol.com

I believe I would start checking with VFWs in the area where the car was from. Also local newspaper files, if there are any, in that area. My guess it was probably built for some special veterans event, and may have been kept in a local VFW hall for a time.

ryarger@rypn.org