Construction of rotunda 1903–1906 (≈ 1905)
Directed by engineer Muntz for the East Company.
1911
Commissioning
Commissioning 1911 (≈ 1911)
Replaces the saturated Flamboin deposit.
1914
Rotary bridge electrification
Rotary bridge electrification 1914 (≈ 1914)
Upgrading of equipment.
1967
Closure by SNCF
Closure by SNCF 1967 (≈ 1967)
End of steam traction.
1971
Reopening by AJECTA
Reopening by AJECTA 1971 (≈ 1971)
Creation of the living railway museum.
1984
Historical Monument
Historical Monument 1984 (≈ 1984)
Included in the additional inventory.
2006–2008
Major restoration
Major restoration 2006–2008 (≈ 2007)
AJECTA-Total-Heritage Foundation Convention.
2011
Celebration of the Centennial
Celebration of the Centennial 2011 (≈ 2011)
8 steam locomotives heated simultaneously.
2022
Électrification Paris–Nogent-sur-Seine
Électrification Paris–Nogent-sur-Seine 2022 (≈ 2022)
Modernization of the historical line.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Rotonde SNCF (Case AH 102): entry by order of 28 December 1984
Key figures
Ingénieur Muntz - Manufacturer of the rotunda
Directed its construction (1903–1906).
Compagnie des chemins de fer de l’Est - Initial sponsor
Operated the rotunda until 1938.
AJECTA - Preservation Association
Managed the museum since 1971.
Origin and history
The Longueville railway rotunda, located near the station of the same name in Seine-et-Marne, was built between 1903 and 1906 by engineer Muntz for the East Railway Company. Launched in 1911, it replaced Flamboin's saturated repository, becoming a hub for steam locomotives serving the Paris-Mulhouse and Longueville-Provins lines. Its rotating bridge was electrified in 1914, and its wood and brick structure, typical of the 1880s, housed increasingly powerful machinery with the rise of regional and international rail traffic.
The rotunda ceased its activity in 1967 with the end of steam traction, but avoided demolition thanks to the Youth Association for the Maintenance and Conservation of Trains of the Past (AJECTA), founded in 1971. The latter set up a living railway museum, restaurant locomotives, wagons and old cars. Ranked in the supplementary inventory of Historic Monuments in 1984, the rotunda enjoyed a major restoration between 2006 and 2008, financed by a tripartite agreement (AJECTA, Total, Heritage Foundation).
Today, the site houses an exceptional collection of historic rolling stock, including a dozen operational steam locomotives. AJECTA regularly organizes tourist traffic, such as steam train trips to Provins during Heritage Days or special events (e.g., 2008 egg hunt, celebration of the 100th anniversary of the rotunda in 2011). These initiatives help to preserve a major industrial heritage while making it accessible to the public.
The rotunda also illustrates the technical evolution of the railways: its decline coincided with the gradual electrification of the lines (completed until Nogent-sur-Seine in 2022), while its rescue bears witness to the associative commitment to railway memory. The museum, open all year round, offers visits to restoration workshops and historical train trips, thus perpetuating the legacy of the East Company and the SNCF.
Architecturally, the rotunda is distinguished by its half-moon shape and its wooden frame filled with bricks, a rare model for the era. Its strategic location, 88 km from Paris-Est, made it a key railway node between Île-de-France and the Grand Est. Adjacent buildings, such as the depot, complete the heritage complex, now inseparable from the local and tourist identity of Longueville.
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