Cité du Train

Opened since 1971, the French National Railway Museum, now known as the Cité du Train, has a range of fun, educational exhibits on the most amazing masterpieces of railway history.

The collections are divided into 2 parts.

Since 2005, the new building has housed a show trail consisting of 2 areas: the “golden century of the railway” and the “return to the golden age”, with 6 themes exploring the emotional roots of the railway. The museum’s other star attraction, the railway adventure, tells the story of the train.

Some thirty trains and locomotives have been carefully selected and renovated to illustrate the technical history of the railway, from its origins to the present day.

Also, the Cité du Train collection has expanded with the addition of two new models in the permanent exhibition (a steam-powered locomotive and a TGV Euroduplex), together with a new outdoor space especially for the SNCF's latest trains. The space is open every weekend in the summer months, and hosts exhibits demonstrating railway installations in motion.

Two new models to discover: a steam locomotive and a TVG Euroduplex

An exceptional steam locomotive model is the latest arrival in the "Steam: How does it work?" permanent exhibition. It is a 141 TC 701 steam locomotive.

In 1930, while engineers from the Epernay workshops of the Compagnie des Chemins de fer de l'Est were building two prototype tender locomotives, the apprentices in those workshops built a smaller, highly precise 1/5th scale model of the same locomotive. At the Cité du Train, the model springs into action every 20 minutes, allowing visitors to see the machine in operation and the pistons working under steam pressure.

At the end of the Platforms of History – platform 12 – the Cité du Train exhibits a 1:1 scale model of the SNCF's latest TVG: the Euroduplex, built by Atelier Alain Pras to match the original in every detail.

The driver's cab can also be visited to get a feel for the locomotive, which will be coming into service as part of a new delivery of locomotives for the national company.

The TGV Euroduplex train is on display in the Platforms of History area, where you can experience 170 years of SNCF locomotive innovation through a story-led presentation of 63 trains. The story begins with the Buddicom, the oldest steam train on display at the Cité du Train, and takes visitors up to the latest TGV ordered by the SNCF, allowing travel at speeds of 320 km/h (199 mph).

The outdoor area

The outdoor area is situated along the SNCF line connecting Mulhouse to Strasbourg, beside the tram-train line linking Mulhouse with Lutterbach and Thann.

It can be accessed from platform 6 of the Platforms of History. From there you can see many different trains as they pass by: TER automotives, TER trains providing connections between Mulhouse and Basel at 200 km/h (124 mph), Corail trains, freight trains and even TGVs.

A very tall mechanical signal mast dominates the space The Code of Signals, known as the Verlant Code (1934), was invented by engineer Eugène Verlant, and aimed to standardise signalling across the railway networks. The signal mast at the Cité du Train illustrates the code with the "carré" (stop) and "avertissement" (warning) signals. It was originally installed at Ussel station in the Corrèze region.

Moving railway installations:
a transporter bridge and a turntable

Come and learn about these two railway installations, crucial to the running of railways. The turntable allows steam locomotives with a tender (an external wagon containing water and coal reserves) to be conveniently turned so that they are pointing with the chimney at the front when the train leaves.

Many turntables were installed in terminus or intermediary stations to make it easier for locomotives to be turned around. At the Cité du Train, a 030 C 815 steam locomotive stands on the turntable. It was built in 1883 at the Wiener-Neustadt factories, and is part of a major series of locomotives ordered by the Compagnie des Chemins de fer de l'Ouest to pull its goods trains.

The transporter bridge, powered by electric motors, allows trains to access the reserve platforms and the Platforms of History.

2 rue Alfred de Glehn - Mulhouse
Tél : +33 (0)3 89 42 83 33
www.citedutrain.com