Railway of the Prince Imperial, Model railway in Saint-Cloud, France
The Railway of the Prince Imperial was a model railway in the Château de Saint-Cloud park featuring an eight-shaped track layout with stations, viaducts, bridges, and ramps. The small locomotive measured about 50 centimeters wide and pulled two three-axle flat wagons.
The railway was built in 1859 for Napoleon III's three-year-old son and stands as the first documented model railway system in history. This early project reflected the imperial interest in mechanical toys and railway technology.
The railway showed advanced mechanical design from the Second French Empire through its wind-up system and detailed infrastructure parts. Visitors could see how the imperial court valued technical innovation and craftsmanship.
The model was small and required careful handling since the mechanism was delicate. Visitors needed to approach slowly and observe carefully to appreciate the construction details and movement.
Charles-Louis Michelez photographed the model and created one of the earliest images of a model railway ever taken. This photograph is valuable for understanding what the actual system looked like and how it worked.
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