This film contains footage shot in 1947 on the SNCF Region Ouest and in 1965, 1966 and 1973 on the Region Est.
The first section is of a journey from Paris - St. Lazare to Le Havre, mainly shot from a railcar.
Items seen during the rebuilding of the railways after the war include a Dean Goods, moving a new 2-D-2 electric locomotive under the wires.
The second section, also on the Region Ouest footage, and also filmed by Dutchman Albert G. Nymeyer, is of a slightly later journey from Paris-Montparnasse to Le Mans, where the 2-D-2 electric locomotive hands the train over to a 141P.
The final section, filmed by Hans Van Engelen and Ton Pruissen, moves to Verdun on the Region Est, before showing one of the very last SNCF steam runs, by two 141Rs, on the 28th April 1973.
The historic recordings used in the soundtrack were made by H.G. Hesselink.