Hobbytrain - H22102 - Passenger Car, Wood-Sided, Coach - Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits - 3-Piece Set

Specific Item Information: The Calais-Méditerranée Express was introduced in the 1886/1887 winter timetable and was a luxury train operated by the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits. It ran from Calais and Paris to the French-Italian Riviera from 1886 to 1939. Later, from 1922 after the introduction of the famous steel-blue sleeping cars, the train was also nicknamed “Le Train Bleu”.

Like all CIWL luxury trains at the time, the Calais-Méditerranée Express consisted exclusively of sleeping, dining and luggage carriages. In addition to the usual CIWL teak wagons, the visually striking two-tone cream-brown wagons were also used in this train. The complete 6-car train with two baggage cars, three sleeping cars and one dining car is realized in the model. The destination signs of the sleeping cars are authentically different. The sleeping and dining cars have interior lighting and numerous details and attachments both inside and out.

CIWL Méditerranée-Express Ep.I Set 1: 1x luggage trolley / 2x sleeping car

Road Name History: Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits (English: International Sleeping-Car Company), also CIWL, Compagnie des Wagons-Lits, or just Wagons-Lits, is an international hotel and travel logistics company, particularly known for its on-train catering and sleeping car services, as well as being the historical operator of the Orient Express.

The Orient Express was a showcase of luxury and comfort at a time when travelling was still rough and dangerous. CIWL soon developed a dense network of luxury trains all over Europe, whose names are still remembered today and associated to the art of luxury travel. Such as the Blue Train ("Train Bleu"), the Golden Arrow ("Flèche d'Or"), North Express ("Étoile du Nord") and many more. CIWL became the first and most important modern multinational dedicated to transport, travel agency, hospitality with activities spreading from Europe to Asia and Africa.

Now part of the French Newrest group, Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits (et des grands express européens) (English: The International Sleeping-Car (and European Great Expresses) Company) was founded by Georges Nagelmackers during 1872, in Belgium. CIWL quickly established itself as the premier provider and operator of European railway sleepers and dining cars during the late 19th and the 20th centuries.

The holding company, CIWLT, is a fully owned subsidiary of the Accor Group, the historical brands were transferred to Wagons-Lits Diffusion in 1996.

From Wikipedia

Brand/Importer Information: Hobbytrain was an Austrian firm, that was acquired by Wolfgang Lemke GmbH in 2002. It produces HO and N scale models.