OGDEN, Utah — A piece of history is back on display at Union Station in Ogden, after a two-year restoration in Wyoming. France gifted 49 Merci Boxcars to the United States after World War 2.
In 1949, Utah’s boxcar was given to the governor and displayed in Salt Lake City. It was brought to Ogden in 2002.
Under the elements, the exterior of the boxcar deteriorated, so the city sent the boxcar to Wyoming for restoration in 2024.
On Tuesday, the boxcar was delivered and placed using a crane on a special spot at the railroad museum at Union Station. Bill Dodge is a veteran and advocate for trains and preservation at Union Station.
"For the last three or so years, three, four years, it’s been a pretty good part of my life,” said Dodge. "World War 1 veterans rode in this thing, many of them never came home, many of them are still buried in France, my great uncle, right here from Ogden, was one of those."
Hope Eggett, museum administrator at the Museums at Union Station, said watching the boxcar come back to Union Station was “surreal.”
She has watched the restoration closely and was keen on restoring the boxcar for future generations to learn from.
"We did a bunch of historical research comparing photos, comparing prints, to make sure that this looked as close as possible as it did in 1949,” said Eggett.
There is still some work to be done. The city is working on an overhead shelter to protect the boxcar and has added the ‘Utah’ plate on it.
On the Fourth of July, the boxcar will be re-dedicated. Dodge said he hopes veterans from all over join their march and celebration that day. He is also working to find all the gifts that came in that box car over 70 years ago.
"There was a wedding dress in this boxcar, we have no idea where it went,” he said.
It’s a piece of history, with a message that goes beyond the tracks.
"The story of the boxcar is really one of friendship, of diplomacy, of duty and service and patriotism,” said Eggett.
