[1] From 1868 until his death, he was head of the prestigious engineering school École Centrale Paris, of which he was also a graduate.

A street in Paris, rue Petiet (at Épinettes, 17th district) is named in his honour.

Petiet expanded the fleet of Nord locomotives from 187 at his appointment in 1848 to 841 at his death in 1871.

[2] He designed a class of 0-8-0T locomotives known as Fortes Rampes; and built 20 even bigger 0-6-6-0 tank engines.

Nicknamed "Camels", eight were built, but they soon were sold to the Nord's Belgian subsidiary Nord-Belge[6]