What a long way since the first French railway line. It was first put into service in 1827, with a 21 km long railway line, and was used to transport coal from the mines of Saint-Etienne to the Loire, all pulled by horses. In the early 1830s, an invention became widespread: the rails were nailed to wooden sleepers, which considerably accelerated the laying process. The first steam locomotives appeared. The French railway was born. On 31 August 1937, the French government created the Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Français (SNCF).