Cité du Train, Mulhouse, Alsace

I see from a search Mulhouse has had a few mentions but no thread. I had a very good few hours there today and have added some images of British interest. I hope you enjoy

 

Was there in 2019. A very good museum IMO.

 

Moi aussi (about the limit of my execrable French). I thought there’s several things each it and York does better. York gives a much better understanding of the role of goods and a better representation of stations, for example. Mulhouse plans its walking routes through coaches, and has more walking platforms and solebar height, so you get a better feel for rolling stock. Plus ça change, as they say in Somerset.

I loved the historic double deckers and the Bugatti railcar.

 

With a friend I went there in (I think) 2005 and thought it a bit of a weird set-up. From the reception area one went into a darkened hall with spot lights for illumination. Exhibits here included a loco laying on its side in a heap of ballast, presumably to represent the work of WW2 Resistance groups, and a part coach body with dummies that resembled characters from the BBC radio 'Goon Show'.

Eventually we found our way to to a rather more normal layout and illuminated section in which photography was possible. The thing that stuck in my mind since then was noting on 232U1 was the strips of steel welded the to the frames and front and back of the outside cylinders to stop them moving. Did the SNCF just copy our solution as applied to the BR 'Kings' and 'Princess Royals' that suffered the same problem?

 

I liked the label on the bottles of Biere sans Culottes in the shop.

 

Still dimly lit, still loco on its side