History of the railways

This page illustrates the 5 great stages in the history of the railway. If you want more detailed information, have a look at the history pages on the French website “La vie du Rail” (www.laviedurail.com)

The invention of the railway (1550 - 1830)

In the beginning were the mining railways, which existed in Europe as early as the 16th century. Then, in 1771, the Frenchman Cugnot invented his “Fardier”, the first steam-driven vehicle. Thus, the meeting of rail and steam gave birth to the railways as we know them today.

It was an enormous effort, which, in England alone, employed 50,000 construction labourers over a period of 40 years. Throughout Europe, railways crossed rivers and passed through mountains. Civil engineering structures, including bridges and viaducts with unprecedented spans, were built by Stephenson, Brunel, Eiffel etc…

The consequences: a new society

A “railway civilisation” was in the process of being born. It allowed people and goods to be transported more quickly, it caused towns to be remodelled with regard to their newly acquired railway stations, and it created powerful industries, of which Mulhouse was an important centre.

Railway crisis ( 1920 - 1960 )

In the United-States during the 1920s, the number of railway tickets sold decreased by 43%. In the 60s, the number of train passengers in the US fell to 500 per day, compared to 15,000 per day during the 1930s. It comes as no surprise to learn that, during this period, some people were predicting the imminent death of the railways. In France, the situation was less serious, although the number of rail passengers decreased by 50% between the 30s and the 50s, mostly as a result of the increased competition from newer forms of transport.

The revival of the railway ( 1960 - 2005 )

High-speed trains, used for the first time in 1964 with the Shinkansen in Japan, suddenly prove to be financially viable. For distances of around 500km, and measuring times from city-centre to city-centre, the train is now as fast as the aeroplane. The TGV, with all the technical refinements that make it exceptionally stable, experiences an immediate and considerable success, and gains a following throughout Europe. The future of the railways seems assured.