The American railroad cars in La Rochelle

The most efficient solution was to send them via the railroad. But after four years of war, the French equipment was piecemeal and worn out.
The United States made the decision to send railroad cars and locomotives to the Old World.
Anticipating a longer war and an increase in the number of troops needing transportation, in 1918, it was decided to produce up to 50,000 railroad cars and 2,550 locomotives.

The deep-water port of La Pallice in La Rochelle was selected to transport the tons of material necessary to assemble the railroad cars, while the port of Saint-Nazaire was selected for the locomotives.

The assembly area was initially located right on the port, but it was later moved to La Rochelle's new train station that was still under construction 5 km away.

In total, nearly 38,000 railroad cars were assembled in La Rochelle by 1921. The activity continued after the war, to help to rebuild the territories that were destroyed by the conflict.

To accomplish this enormous task, an American regiment of 20,000 dedicated men was created. It was the 35th Engineers regiment, which was directly attached to the American army's Services of Supply.

These men built their own barracks at the assembly site. The station's hall was transformed into a mess hall for meals and entertainment. The entire site was renamed Camp Pullman by its occupants.
At that time, one out of every five people living in La Rochelle was American!

Even though they were not at the front, these soldiers did not take it easy. They assembled up to 150 railroad cars per day.
Daily production was written on the paint workshop's pediment and compared to the actions carried out on the front during the same week.

This regiment's operations were praised at the highest levels of government both in the United States and in France.

This is shown in a letter written by George Clemenceau, President of the Council, in January 1919, paying "tribute to the distinguished service rendered to the Allied cause by the 35th American Engineers Regiment and (noting) the important role it played."

On March 31, 1919, the 35th Engineers left La Rochelle and Camp Pullman was closed. But the railroad car assembly operations did not stop, as France had a pressing need to rebuild its damaged areas.

An American company took over: the Middletown Car Company. Renamed the Entreprise Industrielle Charentaise (Charente Industrial Company), the company left La Rochelle's New Station and relocated to Aytré in 1921. This is where Alsthom is still located today.

The association loaned out these railroad cars used to transport troops and equipment to participate in commemorative events all around France.

The association also organizes reenactments, like this one in 2018, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I.

For these events, the restored railroad cars are fitted out to show aspects of French and American soldiers' lives at that time.

It is a wonderful opportunity to educate children and pass on the stories of these men, as well as teaching them how old steam locomotives operated.