The Friendship Train, Postwar Goodwill From America //
Two years after the end of World War II, France and Italy were still suffering from the effects of the German occupation and the fighting Washington Post columnist Drew Pearson suggested that Americans should help people in those countries through something he called a Friendship Train—a train of aid donated by ordinary people. The train began its journey from Los Angeles to Chicago with on Nov. 7, 1947. It was met by enthusiastic crowds at stops along the way, where more cars of food, medicine and clothing were added. States in the extreme north of the US like North Dakota and Minnesota sent their own cars down to the main line. A separate northern route was also needed between Chicago and NYC to meet back up with the main line in New York City; where there was a ticker tape parade in celebration. In another phase of the project dubbed The Christmas Ship, Four states including; Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Montana, and the territory of Alaska worked together to acquire enough food to send to Europe separately from the Friendship Train. The US had the power, unity, and goodwill to have it’s many industries work in tandem with the railroads, and more amazingly, the railroad unions, in which they donated labor to the effort. By the time it got to Chicago there were so many cars of donated aid that two trains were needed to transport it all. In the end 270 boxcars of aid arrived in New York City in November for transport to Europe. Each car had a banner from the location donating it’s cargo anywhere from LA to New York City and everywhere in between, as well as up and down the coasts. In gratitude, the French created the Merci Train. The Merci Train was a collection of 49 French boxcars filled with thank-you gifts—one for each state, which arrived 16 months later.
One year after the Friendship Train in 1948, the industry laid off 39,000 workers and that would largely be the trend up till present day, but that’s a story for another day.
Main Line Stops:
LA, Bakersfield, Fresno, Merced, Stockton, Oakland, Sacremento (CA); Reno (NV); Ogden (UT); Green River, Rawlins, Laramie, Cheyanne (WY); Sidney, North Platte, Kearney, Grand Island, Fremont, Omaha (NE); Council Bluffs, Boone, Ames, Cedar Rapids, Clinton (IA); Sterling, Chicago (IL); Fort Wayne (IN); Mansfield (OH); Pittsburgh, Altoona, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Philadelphia (PA); Trenton (NJ); NYC
Northeastern Line Stops:
Chicago; South Bend, Elkhart (IN); Toledo, Cleveland, Ashtabula (OH); Buffalo, Syracuse, Utica, Albany (NY); NYC
