MP 59

Paris Metro train
4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge, with running pads for the rubber-tyred wheels outside of the steel rails

The MP 59 (French: Métro Pneu appel d'offres de 1959; English: Rubber-tyred metro ordered in 1959) was a rubber-tyred variant of electric multiple units used on the Paris Métro system in service from 1963 to 2024. Manufactured by a consortium between CIMT-Lorraine (body), Jeumont-Schneider (control circuits), Alsthom and CEM (motors), they were first introduced in 1963 when the busiest routes of Lines 1 and 4 were converted to rubber-tyred pneumatic operation. The trains worked on Line 1 between 1963 and 2000, Line 4 between 1966 and 2012, and Line 11 between 1995 and 2024. By the time of their retirement in June 2024, the MP 59 trains (along with the Sprague-Thomson) were among the oldest trains still in use on any metro system in the world, at 61 years old.

  • MP 59 at Bastille station in 1964
    MP 59 at Bastille station in 1964
  • Blue second-class and cream-coloured first class MP 59 cars in 1964
    Blue second-class and cream-coloured first class MP 59 cars in 1964
  • MP 59 trainset 6005 in "Métro-Vidéo" livery in 1989
    MP 59 trainset 6005 in "Métro-Vidéo" livery in 1989
  • An MP 59 leaving République on June 12, 2024, the last day of MP 59 service.

Exit from Line 4

With the arrival of the MP 05 automated stock on Line 1, the remaining 48 MP 59 trains on Line 4 were replaced by the MP 89 CC (just like their Line 1 counterparts were). The first MP 89CC train (#01) arrived on Line 4 in April 2011 and went into service on May 23, 2011. The first MP 59 train to be retired from service was #049, which was withdrawn in April 2011. #021 was withdrawn on December 21, 2012, and was the last train to be retired.

It was originally speculated that some trains would be moved to Line 11 as a supplement, but such plans never came to fruition. All of the trains in service on Line 4 have been scrapped, the spare parts were salvaged for the remaining trains on Line 11.[1]

Exit from Line 11

Île-de-France Mobilités will replace the last MP 59 trains on Line 11 with 39 MP 14 trains: the replacement MP 14 trains for Line 11 will be driver-operated and five cars long.[2][3] The last MP 59 trains were scheduled to run on 23 May 2024,[4] but a few trains are still in service as of June 2024.[5][6] Last trains ran on Line 11 on June 12, 2024, before the line extension to Rosny–Bois-Perrier when six new stations opened on June 13, 2024.[7]

Technical specifications

  • Train length: 90.390 m (296 ft 6+5⁄8 in)
  • Overall width: 2.400 m (7 ft 10+1⁄2 in)
  • Height of a train car above the running surface: 3.485 m (11 ft 5+1⁄4 in)
  • Floor height above the running surface: 1.180 m (46.46 in)
  • Weight in running order: 126.4 tonnes (124.4 long tons; 139.3 short tons)
  • Maximum capacity (at four travelers / m2): 700 passengers including 144 seats
  • Folding seats available off-peak: 146
  • Maximum speed: 70 km/h (43 mph)
  • Maximum power: 1,760 kW (2,360 hp)
  • Average acceleration of 1.3 m/s2 (4.3 ft/s2) from 0 to 30 km/h (0 to 19 mph) (four travelers / m2);
  • Maximum braking normal steady state: 2 m/s2 (6.6 ft/s2)

Other networks

  • Montreal Metro had a forked version named MR-63
  • Mexico City Metro has a forked version named MP-68
  • Santiago Metro has a forked version named NS-74

References

  1. ^ "SYMBIOZ – M4 : Prolongement, arrivée du MP89 et réforme MP59".
  2. ^ "Alstom to supply 19 additional metros to Île-de-France Mobilités for line 11 of the Ile-de-France metro, operated by RATP". Alstom. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  3. ^ "Alstom to build 19 more rubber-tyred metro trains for Paris". International Railway Journal. 2021-07-09. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  4. ^ "« Dans les années 1960, il était modernissime » : dernier voyage pour le plus vieux métro parisien" (in French). Le Parisien. 23 May 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  5. ^ "Ligne 11 : MP59 le 08/06/2024". YouTube. June 8, 2024. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  6. ^ "Video of Thomas75013". May 30, 2024. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  7. ^ "Paris : Le prolongement de la ligne 11 du métro officiellement présenté". CNews (in French). June 13, 2024. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  • The information in this article is based on that in its French equivalent
  • Media related to MP 59 at Wikimedia Commons
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