MP 59
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The MP 59 (French : Métro sur Pneus d'appel d'offres de 1959) is a rubber tyred variant of
electric multiple unit An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple-unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a numbe ...
s used on the
Paris Métro The Paris Métro (french: Métro de Paris ; short for Métropolitain ) is a rapid transit system in the Paris metropolitan area, France. A symbol of the Paris, city, it is known for its density within the capital's territorial limits, uniform ar ...
system, and is the oldest type still in regular passenger service. Manufactured by a consortium between CIMT-Lorraine (body),
Jeumont-Schneider Jeumont-Schneider was a French electric and mechanical engineering group, founded in 1964. History Jeumont-Schneider was formed in 1964 through a merger of FACEJ (''Forges et Ateliers de Construction Electriques de Jeumont'') and ''Matériel Ele ...
(control circuits),
Alsthom Alstom SA is a French multinational rolling stock manufacturer operating worldwide in rail transport markets, active in the fields of passenger transportation, signalling, and locomotives, with products including the AGV, TGV, Eurostar, Avelia ...
and
CEM Cem Sultan (also spelled Djem or Jem) or Sultan Cem or Şehzade Cem (December 22, 1459 – February 25, 1495, ; ota, جم سلطان, Cem sulṭān; tr, Cem Sultan; french: Zizim), was a claimant to the Ottoman throne in the 15th century. Ce ...
(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 circulated on Line 1 between 1963 and 2000, and Line 4 between 1967 and 2012. Today, 24 trains (originally from Line 1) operate on Line 11.


Conception

Following the success of the
MP 55 The MP 55 was the first generation of the Rubber-tyred metro, rubber tired variant of electric multiple units used on Paris's Paris Métro, Métro system. The trains were manufactured by a consortium between Renault, Brissonneau et Lotz, and Als ...
rolling stock on Line 11, which saw a 5.5% increase in transport capacity, the RATP decided to study the expansion of rubber tyred rolling stock on other metro lines. The decision was made to first convert Line 1, due to it being the busiest line in the system. The decision to also equip Line 4 with rubber tyred stock soon followed. Fifty-two trains were ordered for Line 1 and roughly the same for Line 4.


Description

Although the MP 59 is very much identical to the MP 55 stock, there are several key differences; the first being more powerful
motors An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy. Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power gen ...
( compared to the engines of the MP 55) and the second being a wide, one-piece windshield to allow operators an unblocked view of the tracks ahead. Various other mechanical improvements were made. Initially, the trains on Line 1 had only 5 cars because the stations had not been able to accommodate 6-car trains at first. This changed in 1962/63 when the stations were lengthened, which after this time, a sixth car was added. All of the Line 4 platforms were already expanded prior to the arrival of the MP 59 stock and thus were able to accommodate 6-car trains when cascading began in 1967. Each train was composed of 4 second-class cars, one first-class car, and one mixed. The first-class trains were painted in yellow, while the second-class segments were painted in a light-blue livery. Yellow bands could be found across the first-class cars and darker blue bands along the second-class cars. In 1980, the mixed cars were converted into second-class cars, which was achieved by removing the central partition.


Additional trains and refurbishment

In 1974, eight additional trains were ordered to improve service frequencies on both Lines 1 and 4, bringing the number of trains on each line to about 50 to 52. There was also an experimental train that was built during this time (called the MP 59DK) which contained many technological advances that were later adopted by the
MF 77 The MF 77 (abbreviated from the French: ''Metro Fer appel d'offre 1977'') is a steel-wheeled variant of the rolling stock used on the Paris Métro. First used in 1978, it now runs on Lines 7, 8, and 13. Unlike previous models, the MF 77 was ...
and
MP 89 The MP 89 (French : Métro sur Pneus d'appel d'offres de 1989) is a rubber tired variant of electric multiple units used on the Paris Métro. Designed by Roger Tallon, two types are built by GEC-Alsthom for service on Lines 4 and 14, and soo ...
stock. This particular train operated on Line 4 until 1979 and then operated on Line 1 until 1985, when it was refurbished and its experimental components replaced. The train was then circulated back into service either on Line 1 or Line 4. Between 1986 and 1990, an experimental program ran on one MP 59 train that involved the installation of TV screens inside the train. The TVs would show various programs and advertisements. Certain stations along Lines 1 and 4 were also temporarily equipped with TV screens for the same experiment. Unfortunately, the program was largely unsuccessful and the TV monitors were dismantled in 1990. Shortly following, the experimental train was refurbished. Between 1989 and 1992, the MP 59 stock was refurbished to prepare the Line 1 trains for the extension to La Defense. Most of the Line 4 stock were also refurbished. However, trains on Line 4 that were not suited for long-term operation (due to excessive wear and tear) were slated for early retirement. Unfortunately, this included the stock from 1974, which suffered greatly from mechanical defects. For a short time, some of the refurbished trains on Line 1 featured an all-white livery with navy blue doors, as well as a uniquely renovated interior consisting of white-colored seating. However, the RATP quickly found that this livery was heavily conducive to vandalism and stopped renovating trains in this livery. In 1993, the RATP introduced its current mint green and white livery, by which all of the refurbished trains would be painted in. Unlike the six-car configuration that the MP 59 possessed while in operation on Lines 1 and 4, the trains operate in four-car configurations along Line 11. Although all of the platforms are 75 meters in length, enough for a five-car train, the Victoria Depot (situated near Châtelet) is not large enough to accommodate five-car trains.


Exit from Line 1

In 1995, with the arrival of the
MP 89 The MP 89 (French : Métro sur Pneus d'appel d'offres de 1989) is a rubber tired variant of electric multiple units used on the Paris Métro. Designed by Roger Tallon, two types are built by GEC-Alsthom for service on Lines 4 and 14, and soo ...
stock on Line 1, many MP 59 trains were either moved to other lines, or retired. 24 refurbished MP 59 cars were transferred to Line 11 to replace the aging
MP 55 The MP 55 was the first generation of the Rubber-tyred metro, rubber tired variant of electric multiple units used on Paris's Paris Métro, Métro system. The trains were manufactured by a consortium between Renault, Brissonneau et Lotz, and Als ...
stock, which by the mid-1990s had reached the end of their useful lives. Other refurbished trains moved to Line 4 to replace unrefurbished trains that were being retired. Some of the unrefurbished MP 59 trains were retained by the RATP for use as spare parts for the Line 11 trains. Other renovated cars were stored as reserve stock for either Line 4 or Line 11. The remaining unrefurbished cars were retired. One train (#047) was retired in 2007 after a fire broke out at the Simplon station on Line 4. Another train (#044) was also pulled from service, though the reasoning is unknown. This left only 48 trains left in operation on Line 4.


Exit from Line 4

With the arrival of the
MP 05 The MP 05 (French : Métro sur Pneu d'appel d'offres de 2005)''Rubber-tyred metro ordered in 2005'' is a rubber-tyred electric multiple unit with driverless operation ordered by the RATP in 2005 for the Paris Métro. The original 49 units were ...
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 May 23, 2011. The first MP 59 train to be retired from service was #6049, which was pulled from service in April, 2011. #6021 was pulled from service 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 for reinforcement, but such plans never came to fruition. All of the trains in service on Line 4 have been scrapped, with spare parts to be salvaged for the remaining trains on Line 11.


Exit from Line 11

Île-de-France Mobilités Île-de-France Mobilités (ÎDF Mobilités), formerly ''STIF'', is the brand name of the ''Syndicat des transports d'Île-de-France'', the organisation authority that controls and coordinates the different transport companies operating in the ...
will replace the last MP 59 trains on Line 11 (and the sole
MP 73 The MP 73 (Metro Pneu appel d'offres 1973) is rolling stock on tires for the Paris metro. It essentially equips line 6, a train being also operated on line 11 until 2022. Put into service in 1974, it is technically very close to the MP 59 wit ...
unit on the line) with 39 MP 14 trains: the replacement MP 14 trains for Line 11 will be conductor-operated and five cars long.


Technical specifications

*Train length: *Overall width: *Height of a train car above the running surface: *Floor height above the running surface: *Weight in running order: *Maximum capacity (at four travelers / m2): 700 passengers including 144 seats *
Folding seat A folding seat is a seat that folds away so as to occupy less space. When installed on a transit bus, it makes room for a wheelchair or two. When installed on a passenger car, it provides extra seating. In churches, it may have a projection cal ...
s available off-peak: 146 *Maximum speed: *Maximum power: *Average acceleration of from (four travelers / m2); *Maximum braking normal steady state:


Other networks

*
Montreal Metro The Montreal Metro (french: Métro de Montréal) is a rubber-tired underground rapid transit system serving Greater Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The metro, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal (STM), was inaugurated on October 14, ...
had a forked version named
MR-63 The MR-63 (''M''atériel ''r''oulant 19''63'') was the first generation of rubber-tyred rolling stock of the Montreal Metro in the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Based on the MP 59 of the Paris Métro in France, the trains were in use on thr ...
*
Mexico City Metro The Mexico City Metro ( es, Metro de la Ciudad de México) is a rapid transit system that serves the metropolitan area of Mexico City, including some municipalities in Mexico State. Operated by the Sistema de Transporte Colectivo (STC), it is ...
has a forked version named MP-68 *
Santiago Metro The Santiago Metro ( es, Metro de Santiago) is a rapid transit system serving the city of Santiago, the capital of Chile. It currently consists of seven lines (numbered 1-6 and 4A), 136 stations, and of revenue route. The system is managed by th ...
has a forked version named NS-74


References

*''The information in this article is based on that in its French equivalent''


External links

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{{RER rolling stock Articles containing video clips MP 1959 Alstom multiple units Electric multiple units of France 750 V DC multiple units