The MP 59 (; ) was 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 number o ...

s used on the

Paris Métro The Paris Métro (, , or , ), short for Métropolitain (), is a rapid transit system serving the Paris metropolitan area in France. A symbol of the city, it is known for its density within the capital's territorial limits, uniform architectur ...

system in service from 1963 to 2024. Manufactured by a consortium between CIMT-Lorraine (body), Jeumont-Schneider (control circuits),

Alsthom Alstom SA () is a French multinational rolling stock manufacturer which operates worldwide in rail transport markets. It is active in the fields of passenger transportation, signaling, and locomotives, producing high-speed, suburban, regional a ...

and

CEM Cem Sultan (1459–1495) was a prince of the Ottoman Empire. Cem or CEM may also refer to: Colleges * College of Eastern Medicine, a branch of Southern California University of Health Sciences, in Los Angeles, California, US * College of Eme ...

(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.

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 The first MP 59 train to be retired from service was #049, which was withdrawn in April 2011. #021 was withdrawn on December 21, 2012, and was the last train to be retired.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.

Exit from Line 11

Île-de-France Mobilités Île-de-France Mobilités (IDFM) is the governmental authority ( EPA) that controls and coordinates the different companies operating the Paris-area public transport network and the rest of the Île-de-France region. In this capacity, it issu ...

replaced the last MP 59 trains on Line 11 with 39 MP 14 trains: the replacement MP 14 trains for Line 11 are driver-operated and five cars long. The last MP 59 trains were scheduled to run on 23 May 2024, but a few trains were still in service as of June 2024. The last MP 59 trains ran on Line 11 on June 12, 2024, before the line extension to when six new stations opened on June 13, 2024.

Gallery

File:JHM-1964-0105 - Paris, métro ligne 1, Bastille.jpg, MP 59 at Bastille station in 1964 File:JHM-1964-0104 - Paris, métro ligne 1, Bastille.jpg, Blue second-class and cream-coloured first class MP 59 cars in 1964 File:Paris Metro RATP, 1989 (16365034978).jpg, MP 59 trainset 6005 in "Métro-Vidéo" livery in 1989 File:Station Métro - République - Départ MP 59 - (RATP - Ligne 11) - (Paris III, X, XI, FR75) - 12-06-2024.webm, An MP 59 leaving République on June 12, 2024, the last day of their service.

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 (, ) 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, 1966, during the tenure ...

had a forked version named

MR-63 The MR-63 (Matériel roulant 1963) was the first generation of Rubber-tyred metro, 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 ...

Mexico City Metro The Mexico City Metro () is a rapid transit system that serves Greater Mexico City, the metropolitan area of Mexico City, including some municipalities in the State of Mexico. Operated by the Sistema de Transporte Colectivo (STC), it is the Lis ...

has a forked version named MP-68 *

Santiago Metro The Santiago Metro () 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), 143 stations, and of revenue route. The system is managed by the state-owned Metro S. ...

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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TRUCK (bogie)
{{RER rolling stock Articles containing video clips MP 1959 Alstom multiple units Electric multiple units of France 750 V DC multiple units Train-related introductions in 1963