Early French railway. Historical artwork of a steam train on an early French railway from about 1840. The first-class carriages are covered, while the other passengers are travelling in uncovered wagons. A signalman is holding a signal flag at left. Short industrial railways were built in France from 1832, but large-scale construction of railways did not begin until after legislation was passed in 1842. This was mainly due to the French economy and industry being less well-developed than other countries like Britain. The country also suffered from the destruction of the Napoleonic Wars.