Cite du train - SNCF museum Mulhouse

[TT-Pete]

A cloudy Friday afternoon in late October turns out to be a very good time to visit the "Cite du Train" in Mulhouse - it was virtually deserted and we just about had the place to ourselves. I've been meaning to go to this museum for years, so when visiting a friend in Fribourg in Switzerland we took a day out to visit both the "Cite de l'Automobile" Schlumpf collection car museum (a jaw-dropping collection and well worth a trip) and then the SNCF museum, both just down the road across the Swiss/French border in Mulhouse.

 

The museum is stuffed full of exhibits and would have been worth a whole day in itself, if increasingly rebellious teenagers hadn't also been in tow... Very well arranged but a little bit dark and gloomy in places and some exhibits could have done with a bit more interpretation and placed a little bit further apart, but apart from that a really enjoyable experience, highly recommended.

 

Edited November 29, 2017 by TT-Pete

[TT-Pete]

Photos part 2:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Class 74]

Ahhhh, beautiful... I was 2 times there, but looks like there are some new locos around. The CC40100 was standing outside in the back where the turntable is, waiting for some "refreshment"... now she looks awesome again... and the CC6500... and CC7100... mmmmmmmmmmmmhhhhh....

 

I think I have to go again next year! *Macho Man Mode on* UUUUUH YEAAAAHHHH, DIG IT!  

[TT-Pete]

Photos part 3:

Hang on a moment - what is that I can see in the background in that picture above?

 

Zut alors! Blinking kids! (rolls eyes) Can't take the little so-and-so's anywhere! Anyway, quickly moving on before anyone thinks they have anything to do with me...

 

Edited November 29, 2017 by TT-Pete

[Ian Smeeton]

Have you shown those buffers to Dave Franks?

 

Regards

 

Ian

[TT-Pete]

Photos part 4:

 

[JeffP]

Nice to see CC7107 in there.

 

Last time I saw her, she was in use at Miramas, on shed, awaiting her next duty.

I had quite a long conversation with a couple of French cheminots who were amazed that an Englishman knew about their loco...since the plaques had been removed for safekeeping.

They even moved her and raised the pantographs so I'd get a decent shot.

 

[jwealleans]

Couldn’t agree more about the museum, which has massively evolved in the last few years. They’ve clearly looked at the NRM as well as some German museums I’ve visited.

 

My kids (both teenagers) still like going, but I suspect that’s to do with the fantastic food in the restaurant. Is the Electricity Museum opposite open again yet?

[LNER4479]

A cloudy Friday afternoon in late October turns out to be a very good time to visit the "Cite du Train" in Mulhouse - it was virtually deserted and we just about had the place to ourselves.

 

Going off our experience, visitors will be outnumbered by the staff WHENEVER you go. It is Mulhouse's best kept secret. We went by train and absolutely no information whatsoever at the main station. Not a leaflet. Took us ages to find out where it actually was.

 

Considering how comprehensive the museum is, it's absolutely ridiculous ... must be something to do with the French psyche?(I'm being polite!) But definitely worth making the effort, some fantastic exhibits.

[Georgeconna]

Wow, some very interesting thing in there, Even the buffers have lining!! 

[AMJ]

I found the steam loco on it's side a challenge to get a reasonable photograph of due to the limitations of the illumination

 

If like me you are also interested in motor cars I'd suggest a joint ticket with the Schlumpf (French National Auto Museum) also located in the city.  I spent a full day in each on all of the times I have been.  There are a few Bugatti cars in the museum!

[eastwestdivide]

Hmm, that's added a day's diversion to next year's holiday. Thanks!

[Ian Morgan]

I visited the railway museum back in the 1980's and it was a very dark depressing place. Looks like it is a lot better now.

 

The motor museum, on the other hand, is amazing, with an interesting back story. The collection was built up in secret by two brothers in one of their old textile factories. Only when their textile business closed did the layed off workers and unions find out about the collection, and they layed siege to it. The French authorities stepped in, helped the brothers escape to Switzerland, and 'acquired' the collection for public display.

 

I was very impressed after wandering past row after row of superb old cars, turning a corner to find 10 blue Bugattis side by side. Apparently, in 1967, they had a total of 105 Bugattis!

[Horsetan]

Going off our experience, visitors will be outnumbered by the staff WHENEVER you go. It is Mulhouse's best kept secret. We went by train and absolutely no information whatsoever at the main station. Not a leaflet. Took us ages to find out where it actually was.

 

Considering how comprehensive the museum is, it's absolutely ridiculous ... must be something to do with the French psyche?....

 

Philosophy has been part of the national school curriculum for decades. No, I've never understood it either.

 

I suppose it's a form of insouciance.

[TT-Pete]

I found the steam loco on it's side a challenge to get a reasonable photograph of due to the limitations of the illumination

 

If like me you are also interested in motor cars I'd suggest a joint ticket with the Schlumpf (French National Auto Museum) also located in the city.  I spent a full day in each on all of the times I have been.  There are a few Bugatti cars in the museum!

That's exactly what we did, but "a few" Bugattis?! At one point the Schlumpf brothers were buying so many that they were single-handedly responsible for the worldwide values for Bugattis going up. A quite sad ending to their story though and a salutory lesson to us all of what can happen when collecting becomes an overriding all-consuming obsession;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cit%C3%A9_de_l%27Automobile

 

I took quite a few photos there too, I could upload a few in anyone is interested, but might be too off-topic for RM Web?

[jwealleans]

There’s a thread for that. Can’t post a link but not hard to find.

[TT-Pete]

Pics from the Schlumpf collection "Cite de l'Automobile" now added under Wheeltappers:

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/128917-cite-de-lautomobile-mulhouse/?p=2953763

[Barry Ten]

It was very deserted when I visited in March this year. I really enjoyed it, although I agree that it's not very well advertised.

[Fat Controller]

If these two attractions were not enough, Mulhouse also houses a Fire Brigade Museum and a Wallpaper Museum..

[GeoffAlan]

I managed to see the museum and the car museum while on holiday some 15 or so years ago. 

[jwealleans]

Where did the Fire Brigade go? They used to share the Cite du Train building but were kicked out when it was expanded and refurbished.

[Andy Hayter]

https://www.musee-sapeur-pompier.fr/

 

Address at the bottom of the home page

[eastwestdivide]

For completeness, the wallpaper museum: https://www.museepapierpeint.org/en/

I wonder what the tickets look like.

[Fat Controller]

For completeness, the wallpaper museum: https://www.museepapierpeint.org/en/

I wonder what the tickets look like.

Given how the French apply wallpaper to every surface, how do you find the way out? I once stayed in a hotel where walls, doors and ceiling were all finished with the same wallpaper; waking up with a hangover was not helped by this..