Redesign of MR-63 métro cars: Two prototypes to be tested starting Thursday, April 15

Press release


 

Redesign of MR-63 métro cars:
Two prototypes to be tested starting Thursday, April 15


Montréal, April 14, 2010
On Thursday, the Société de Transport de Montréal (STM) is going to start testing two prototypes of MR-63 metro cars that have been redesigned to increase their capacity and facilitate entry and exit. The cars will run on the green line from mid-April to the end of May to determine which layout riders prefer.

The STM listens to its customers and is very concerned with meeting their needs, which is why everyone is invited to try out the prototypes and take part in the consultation process. To share comments, opinions and preferences, go to www.stm.info and click on the special icon.

Redesign of MR-63s, pending delivery of new cars
Pending the acquisition of new metro cars, the STM is looking for ways to accommodate a metro ridership that has been growing since 2006. As the new cars won’t be available until the end of 2013, at the very earliest, the STM must find ways now to meet demand over the next few years. Hence the plan to redesign MR-63 cars to optimize the space available.

Two different layouts
Currently, MR-63 motor cars have 39 seats and trailers have 40, for a total of 118 seats per three-car section. In Prototype A sections, 22 single seats will be removed from the ends of cars and 22 three-part poles added for standing riders. In Prototype B sections, 18 single seats will be removed from the middles of cars and 22 three-part poles added. The new layout should increase capacity by 6% to 8%, depending on the layout selected.

STANDARD (CURRENT)
PROTOTYPE A
PROTOTYPE B
Motor car
Trailer
Motor car
Trailer
Motor car
Trailer
39
40
32
32
33
34
Seats per section1: 118
Seats per section: 96 (-22)
Seats per section: 100 (-18)

1- A section consists of three cars.

Montreal metro ridership is over 850,000 every weekday. The fleet consists of 759 cars: 336 MR-63s (built in 1963) and 423 MR-73s (built in 1973 and refurbished between 2005 and 2008).

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