40 and 8 Boxcars

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

So Far, so good.  "40 & 8" became a reflection of some people as to any social place that had lots of older people that it was "just a 40 & 8 place, vis-a vi The Rebel and Redcoats Tavern (a five star restaurant) in Huntington, WV. My wife and I started going there in our twenties and that was what we heard from some of our friends. It finally closed in the last year and bacilli because of the patron base was no longer alive, guess they were correct, just took 45 years to lose them. Sad for Huntington.


Oakie G Ford
IRONTON, OH

 
----- Original Message ----- 
From: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org 
To: NW Mailing List 
Sent: Saturday, September 17, 2005 7:52 AM
Subject: 40 and 8 Boxcars


Jerry Kay, et. al.,

Does anyone know of a resource giving the current status of all of the original "Merci" (40 Hommes/Chevaux) boxcars?

Although I have often read these cars were called "forty and eights" by the doughboys, I assume it meant 40 men or 8 horses.

Albert Burckard

---------Original Message ----- 
  From: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org 
  To: NW Mailing List 
  Sent: Saturday, September 17, 2005 12:44 AM
  Subject: Unique U.S. Rail History


  Virginia's 40&8 car is located at the Virginia War Museum in Newport News.  It is the featured item in an exhibit called "Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation".



  This exhibit commemorates the role of the Hampton Roads region of Southeast Virginia during World Wars I and II as a center of activity for numerous paramilitary organizations and as a hub for the movement of millions of troops. The focal point of the exhibit is the railway boxcar that houses it; one of the finest remaining examples of a "Merci" Train boxcar (40/8) - one "Merci" boxcar was given to each of the States of the Union after World War One to show appreciation of American sacrifices in an effort to help protect France from the Central Powers. It was rededicated after World War Two. 



  Jerry Kay




------------------------------------------------------------------------------


  ________________________________________
  NW-Mailing-List at nwhs.org
  To change your subscription go to
  http://list.nwhs.org/mailman/options/nw-mailing-list



------------------------------------------------------------------------------


  No virus found in this incoming message.
  Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
  Version: 7.0.344 / Virus Database: 267.11.1/104 - Release Date: 9/16/2005



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


________________________________________
NW-Mailing-List at nwhs.org
To change your subscription go to
http://list.nwhs.org/mailman/options/nw-mailing-list
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/attachments/20050917/d8581b44/attachment-0001.html