Teacher and students revive historic ‘Gratitude Train’ project
A teacher and 250 students in Amiens have rebuilt a historic Merci Train carriage, reviving a symbol of Franco-American friendship
A French teacher and around 250 students in Amiens have recreated a historic symbol of Franco-American friendship, transforming a post-war gesture of gratitude into a travelling museum set to tour France and the United States.
The project is led by literature and history teacher Louis Teyssedou at Lycée Édouard Gand, bringing together students from several schools across northern France to rebuild and reinterpret a railway carriage inspired by the original 1949 ‘Gratitude Train’, known in France as the ‘Merci Train’.
The original convoy consisted of 49 boxcars filled with gifts, works of art and personal donations collected across France and sent from Le Havre to the United States in 1949 as thanks for American support during and after the liberation of France.
It was received in New York by large crowds and became a lasting symbol of post-war solidarity.
In Amiens, students have reconstructed the wooden carriage and are producing exhibition materials and objects reflecting Franco-American relations through local history. The carriage is being developed as a mobile museum intended to travel to cultural and educational sites.
Teyssedou said the project is rooted in learning through practice, describing it as a way to connect students with history in a tangible way: “It allows students to understand history not just through books, but through making, building and working together.”
The railcar has already been presented at cultural events in Amiens, including the city’s comic book festival, where it featured in a wider programme dedicated to storytelling and heritage.
Organisers say the initiative is both educational and commemorative, aimed at helping younger generations engage with collective memory and Franco-American history.
Édouard Gand vocational high school is leading the project, alongside L’Acheuléen, Boucher de Perthes, Montaigne and Branly vocational schools, as well as École des Violettes and Jean-Marc Laurent Middle School. The wagon is scheduled to travel internationally from November 2026, when it will be exhibited at the B&O Railroad Museum in Maryland,
United States.
Three months later, it will move to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where it is expected to be hosted within the local branch of the 40+8 organisation (a Franco-American heritage association with roots in World War One).
The project originated with an article written for the French Ministry of the Armed Forces in June 2025. It was then supported by SNCF and the French Ministry of National Education (Académie d’Amiens), with additional backing from ONACVG, FedEx and the BNP Paribas Foundation.
