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Nagelmackers embodied the spirit of innovation. Born in 1845 in Liège, he initially faced familial disapproval when he opted to study civil engineering instead of joining his family’s banking firm. His revolutionary vision for comfortable travel came into focus after a trip to the United States, where he encountered the Pullman sleeping cars. This experience revealed to him what rail travel could be—luxurious and efficient.
Back in Belgium, he outlined a business plan for a sleeping car service and sought to revolutionize railway travel in Europe. Unfortunately, his proposals were often met with skepticism, highlighting a prevailing belief that European travel could never rival the comforts offered across the Atlantic.