Montreal Metro - Rolling Stock

Rolling Stock

The Montreal Metro's 759-car fleet runs entirely underground and uses exclusively rubber tires instead of steel wheels. As noted in the STM official document, The Montreal Métro, a source of pride, the Metro runs entirely underground because the cars are not weatherproof and the electrical system would be severely affected by rain and melting snow.

Conception of the first generation of rolling stock in Montreal went beyond just adopting the MP 59 metro car from Paris.

North American cities building modern subway systems (Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Atlanta, Montreal) in the 1960s and 1970s were in search of modern rolling stock that not only best fit their needs, but also encompassing a change in industrial design that focused on the aesthetics and performance of public transit vehicles.

Train floor levels are near flush with the station platforms, but unlike the Washington, D.C. Metro, Montreal's Metro system is not always wheelchair accessible. Most wheelchair users cannot board independently because of a gap between the car and the platform. Currently, only 7 stations are wheelchair accessible, and only on the Orange Line. This has become a sore point for accessibility advocates in Montreal. The three stations in Laval are provided with elevators, and four stations - Lionel-Groulx, Berri-UQAM, Henri-Bourassa, Bonaventure and Cote-Vertu had elevators added in 2009 and 2010, although Bonaventure station is only partially accessible pending the construction of elevators linking the mezzanine to street level. Four stations will be equipped with elevators by 2016, meaning that the service would be fully accessible in 2085. The remodelling of the seating arrangement in the MR-73 cars has added a space for wheelchairs.

Like the metro cars of most other systems in the 1960s and 1970s, Montreal's cars do not utilise air conditioning. This is mainly because the metro is built entirely underground and air conditioning would heat the tunnels creating a much bigger problem. The Montreal trains are among the oldest North American metro trains in service - the MR-63 dates back to the system's opening in 1966 and the MR-73 to 1976 - but extended longevity is expected of rolling stock operated under fully sheltered conditions. The lack of air conditioning can make trips uncomfortable for passengers. Passengers cannot move between cars once on board with the current train stock, which can be an inconvenience if the car becomes overcrowded or when looking for a seat. The trains are 2.5 m (8.20 ft) wide, narrower than the width of the trains used by most other North American metro systems. This narrow width limits the capacity of the trains, but allowed the use of single tunnels (for both tracks) in construction of the Metro's subway lines. In response to overcrowding on the orange line, a redesign of the MR-73 cars removed some seats to make for more standing room. The new trains MPM-10 (Azur) will allow passengers to move between cars once on board.