Farewell MP73

[JR East]

Hi

 

Shot on Oct 28th, 2022 close to Fontenay-sous-bois RATP facilities, it's now the end for roughly 200 cars of the MP73.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They were serving the RATP line 6 in Paris.

 

Discussing with the trucks' drivers, they are hauling them to Chalindrey for being scrapped. Why not using rails to send them ? It's a tire metro meaning that, despite there are steel wheel behind the tires 

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/MP_55#/media/Fichier:Metro_de_Paris_-_Bogie_de_MP_55_-_01.jpg,  they require particular tracks

 

If I don't mind, it has been subcontracted to the new dismanteling unit which is able to handle rolling stocks including those containing hazardous materials. 

 

 

JM

 

Edited October 31, 2022 by JR East

[200系]

It will be a shame to see these units go. Being introduced in 1974 The MP73 has always been at the upper end of my interest curve, a bit too modern for my tastes if you will, but as they do have a lot in common with earlier designs I do have a certain a soft spot for them. The MP73's have always been a constant factor during my visits to Paris, still mostly un-refurbished during my first visit in 1998 and fully refurbished afterwards (preferred the un-refurbished units to be honest, I've always thought the original (faux?) leather seats were much more comfortable than the later vandalism resistant seating, same for the MP59 and MF67), so seeing line 6 without them will take some getting used to. I can't say I'm a big fan of the rolling stock that's intended to replace them, or even the stock intended to replace their replacements on line 4, either, so I'm kinda dreading the day every last remaining MP59, MF67 and MP73 unit will have been retired.

 

That said, fortunately large scale retirement of these units has only just been started and shouldn't be completed until all former line 4 MP89cc's are at hand, which I believe was supposed to be in 2024, wasn't it? This should allow the remaining MP73's to stick around for at least another 1 to 2 years if everything goes according to plan. In addition, with the unit in your picture, 6537, having been retired in September of this year, 43 of the original 50 units should still be in service, with 6544 being the only other retirement this year, being retired in July.

 

4 hours ago, JR East said:

Discussing with the trucks' drivers, they are hauling them to Chalindrey for being scrapped. Why not using rails to send them ? It's a tire metro meaning that, despite there are steel wheel behind the tires 

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/MP_55#/media/Fichier:Metro_de_Paris_-_Bogie_de_MP_55_-_01.jpg,  they require particular tracks

 

I may be splitting hairs here, but in theory they should've been able to run on normal track, as the flanged wheels are designed to carry the weight of the entire car in case of a flat tire. In practicality however, the road wheels are of course slightly larger than the flanged wheels which most likely causes issues when traversing switches and other more complex trackwork when running on regular track. That said, there were more than a few instances where rubber tired stock actually ran on traditional track, either under their own power or as part of a locomotive hauled transport.

I know CIMT delivered the 1st series of MP59's (1963~1964) by rail, though for this transport their road tires and guidewheels weren't installed yet. Something similar, though more unique, happened in the autumn of 1979. During maintenance on the viaduc de Passy on line 6 the roll ways on both tracks had to be removed prior to replacement, so in order to minimize inconvenience, passenger service continued was to continue scheduled whenever possible. As a result trains would continue to operate while the roll ways were removed with the MP73's simply running on their flanged wheels on those sections. 

That being said, while it can technically be done I do expect there are numerous reasons, both practical and economical, for the decision to ship these cars by road instead of rail, like you said.

 

It might just be a sign of times as well. Sprague-Thomson cars, or at least those retired between 1980 and 1983, were usually transported to their final destination by rail, while the MA51's retired in the early 90's seems to have been transported by road. Similarly, I believe the renovated MS61 units were also transported by road, so it may simply just be more economical for the RATP to ship their retired stock this way.

 

-> A MP59 set being delivered via rail. As a sign of the times the train is being pulled by a former Compagnie de Chemins de Fer de l'Est class 141 TB tank locomotive:

https://photorail.fr/p263313407/h81BA49CC#h81ba49cc

 

-> Gare de Passy in October 1979, note the lack of roll ways:

https://www.facs-patrimoine-ferroviaire.fr/phototheque/albums/quand-le-metro-sur-pneu-roule-sur-voie-non-equipee-1979

[JR East]

On 11/1/2022 at 1:22 AM, 200系 said:

It might just be a sign of times as well. Sprague-Thomson cars, or at least those retired between 1980 and 1983,

 

You're right @200系.

 

I've found an old movie I shot on October 1981 I've decide to place on YouTube followin your remark. You can see 4 Sprague-Thomson's cars on the ramp waiting for the departure to the scrapping facilities. They were usually grouped in the yard nearby with other Sprague-Thomson to form a longer train then hauled by rail to their final destination. As I was young, I was picking parts on then for my personal collection (one 1st & one 2nd class bench, lots of enamel plates, plenty of small enamel label in the cabin, the main manipulator, an evacuation ladder, a brass hat rack, etc ....). As I was having not enough place in my cellar, I've decided after the Covid to make a donation to a preservation association of Sprague Thomson (ADEMAS). Believe me or not, they were surprised and very happy as they were missing lots of those enamel indicators in their cabin. 

 

 

 

The video is of very poor quality but the Super 8 film was done in 1981, "lost" & stored in several cellars (not the best storing conditions), following the different movings I made, and numerized on 2021. I can remove easily the 'noise' on picture with my photgrapher's tool (DxO, Lightroom, PureRaw etc ...) but I don't have any toolo to do the same on a movie. 

 

Just see below two example of the same photo (paper print in 1980 ...)

 

Before:

 

After (no more scratches, cracks, colors, grains, etc ...):

 

 

Edited November 2, 2022 by JR East
corrections / additions