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Key figures

Origin and history

The Écomusée du cheminot Veynois is a museum dedicated to the history of railways and railwaymen, located in the town of Veynes, in the Hautes-Alpes. This place highlights the central role of the Compagnie des Chemins de fer de Paris in Lyon and the Mediterranean (PLM) in the economic and social development of the region. The city of Veynes, whose expansion is closely linked to the arrival of the rail, becomes a strategic railway hub.

Opened in 1999, the ecomuseum presents the living and working conditions of railway workers through various collections, including three models of trains maintained by volunteers. These exhibitions illustrate the impact of the railway on daily life and local planning. The museum also pays tribute to Adrien Ruelle (1815–87), an engineer whose work marked Veynes' evolution as a railway city.

The ecomuseum is part of an approach to preserving industrial and social memory related to rail. It offers a concrete testimony of the French railway heritage, focusing on local specificities. Visitors discover both the technical history of trains and the human heritage of the workers who shaped this network.

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