De Dion-Bouton was a French automobile manufacturer and railcar manufacturer operating from 1883 to 1932. The company was founded by the Marquis Jules-Albert de Dion, Georges Bouton, and Bouton's brother-in-law Charles Trépardoux.
The company was formed after de Dion in 1881 saw a toy locomotive in a store window and asked the toymakers to build another. Engineers Bouton and Trépardoux had been making a starvation living on scientific toys at a shop in the Passage de Léon, close to the "rue de la Chapelle" in Paris. Trépardoux had long dreamed of building a steam car, but neither could afford it. De Dion, already inspired by steam (though in the form of rail locomotives)[2] and with plenty of money,[3] agreed, and De Dion, Bouton et Trépardoux was formed in Paris in 1883. This became the De Dion-Bouton automobile company, the world's largest automobile manufacturer for a time, becoming well known for their quality, reliability, and durability.
To learn more about this wonderful car, please see the rest of the article at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Dion-Bouton
Read the entire entry and see some of the rail cars that he built, too!
Interesting stuff. I don't know where you find these things. I enjoy reading this type of post.
ReplyDeleteIt's steam - anything with steam! (and I spend way too much time on the internet) :o)
DeleteVery interesting, hadn't realised that there were steam powered cars and a testament to them to see this one hurtling down country lanes today.
ReplyDeleteJohn
Ken had an amazing video yesterday. Hop over and take a look!
Deletehttp://knuckledraggin.com/2015/02/wwi-steam-convoy/
You needed something to get to the train station to get on the train with a steam locomotive. See, trains after all!!!
ReplyDeleteJohn W. - Check out Jay Leno's garage on YouTube and look for the Stanley Steamer. Modern compared to this one. Jay is a big steam fan. Has a big boiler and other steam powered machines.
Terry
Fla.