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Versailles Train Crash
On 8 May 1842, a train crashed in the cutting between Gare de Meudon, Meudon and Bellevue Station (France), Bellevue stations on the railway between Versailles (city), Versailles and Paris, France. The train was travelling to Paris when it derailed after the leading locomotive broke an axle, and the carriages behind piled into it and caught fire. It was the first French railway accident and the deadliest in the world at the time, causing between 52 and 200 deaths, including that of explorer Jules Dumont d'Urville. The accident led the French to abandon the practice of locking passengers in their carriages. Metal fatigue was poorly understood at the time and the accident led to systematic research into the problem. Derailment and fire By the late afternoon of Sunday 8 May 1842, the public celebrations being held in honour of king Louis Philippe I's saint's day in the Gardens of Versailles had finished and many people wished to return to Paris. At 5:30 pm a train left the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Meudon
Meudon () is a municipality in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is in the département of Hauts-de-Seine. It is located from the center of Paris. The city is known for many historic monuments and some extraordinary trees. One of them, the Imperial Cedar (), attracted the attention of Empress Eugénie and Queen Victoria. As of March 2021, the tree is in good condition, but it is threatened by real estate speculation. Another real estate project is planned for the historic park of the Napoleon III villa built by Charles Schacher. Both projects are controversial and have aroused local opposition. Geography The town of Meudon is built on the hills and valleys of the Seine. The wood of Meudon lies for the most part to the west of the town. The north-west part of Meudon, overlooking the Seine, is known as ''Bellevue'' ("beautiful view"). History At Meudon, the argile plastique clay was extensively mined in the 19th century. The first fossil of the European diatryma ' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
