Napoléon III’s Imperial Trains 🚂
Emperor Napoléon III had a serious passion for railroads, seeing them as key to France's rapid modernization during the Industrial Revolution. When he crowned himself emperor in 1852, France had a modest 2,000 miles of track. But in just a few years, he dramatically expanded that to over 12,000 miles! Under Napoléon III's reign, even farmers could travel by train.
He achieved this by merging several smaller rail lines into six major companies, all centered around Paris. An each of these companies even provided the Emperor with his own dedicated train. The first imperial train arrived in 1855 from the Compagnie du Nord, followed by one in 1856 from the Compagnie Paris-Orléans, and a third in 1857 from the Compagnie de l'Est.
Train car of the imperial train of Napoleon III given by Compagnie du Nord c. 1855
Interesting enough this train car that Napoléon III and Empress Eugenie paraded alongside Queen Victoria. This same train car was still used during the third republic and this wagon was attached to Marshal Foch's train in 1917 and sent it in 1918 to fetch the Germans who were to sign the armistice.
If you know your history you know that the famous train car No. 2419 D, where Marshal Foch dictated the text of the armistice to the defeated Germans no longer exists, the train car that belonged to Napoléon III, still remains at the "Hameau du vin" station created by Georges Duboeuf.
The interior of Napoleon’s Ceremonial carriage of the imperial train used by Napoleon for his travels on the northern and bordering railway network. It was inaugurated for the official journey of Queen Victoria on the Boulogne-sur-Mer > Paris route on 18 August 1855.
A decorative shield on the Imperial train.
Train car of “aides-de-camp salon”, from 1856 at Mulhouse Train Museum Cité du Train.
These set of train-car belonged to the emperor's seven-train cars , decorated in deep red, ultramarine blue, and gilded bronze, had its first journey between Paris and Bayonne in June 1856. This personal imperial train was Commissioned by the Paris-Orléans company, it was built under the guidance of chief engineer Camille Polonceau, with its exquisite interior designed by the famous Viollet-le-Duc.
A lounge car of Napoléon III
Interior of "aides-de-camp salon", It owes its interior design to Viollet-le-Duc.
A green velvet upholstered sofa, the color of Emperor Napoleon Ill, from the lounge car of the imperial train.
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