Mark Walton Posted June 7, 2018 Report Share Posted June 7, 2018 The STM has finally announced the end of the line for these old veterans this month. Here's the schedule for the farewell runs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Transit geek Posted June 8, 2018 Report Share Posted June 8, 2018 Too bad they can't be tracked by GPS... ! Would be cool to have MetroVision alert their arrival at stations with special messages, similar to MBTA's "Big Red" railcar: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack 47 Posted June 8, 2018 Report Share Posted June 8, 2018 A farewell tour would have been more inclusive if riders were given a chance on a weekends to say good bye. I have heard "Good Riddance" a number of times about the MR-63. However... These trains were "home" to me for the past 35 years. They took me to school, to work, to play, to eat and back home. Their distinctive sights, sounds and sensations are never to be seen again. I expect that the three remaining cars will be stashed stingily out of public view. These trains were not junk. They were generally reliable. The automatic train control system was refined. Healthy, well-maintained trains were fast. About half of the motor cars suffered from shaking and vibrations, but a good number them delivered decent rides and there were some rare well-balanced MR-63 motor car gems with soft Éligo springs that rode like clouds, even smoother than the dampered and air-sprung Azur. Brand-new trains now coming out of the factories have similar cab facade styles. Why not keep a few of them? There are always naysayers who will quickly howl that it costs too much (really?), need parts that are made in-house, a special team of mechanics and additional driver training, but say nothing of the exploding costs of acquiring and maintaining new hybrid buses. Like the street cars of New Orleans, true respect for Montreal and Quebec heritage treasures could have been proposed: Two complete trains could have been preserved in full operational condition (with a mountain of spare parts from their scrapped siblings). Imagine one repainted blue with 1966 striping, the other refurbished with the current paint scheme. Imagine them integrated into glass-walled showroom parking spaces in the middle of a newly-built Métro station, ready to be pulled out for occasional service. What could have been, is no more. If there are trains running around this weekend (July 9 and 10), please let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anyfong Posted June 8, 2018 Report Share Posted June 8, 2018 1 hour ago, Jack 47 said: A farewell tour would have been more inclusive if riders were given a chance on a weekends to say good bye. I have heard "Good Riddance" a number of times about the MR-63. However... These trains were "home" to me for the past 35 years. They took me to school, to work, to play, to eat and back home. Their distinctive sights, sounds and sensations are never to be seen again. I expect that the three remaining cars will be stashed stingily out of public view. These trains were not junk. They were generally reliable. The automatic train control system was refined. Healthy, well-maintained trains were fast. About half of the motor cars suffered from shaking and vibrations, but a good number them delivered decent rides and there were some rare well-balanced MR-63 motor car gems with soft Éligo springs that rode like clouds, even smoother than the dampered and air-sprung Azur. Brand-new trains now coming out of the factories have similar cab facade styles. Why not keep a few of them? There are always naysayers who will quickly howl that it costs too much (really?), need parts that are made in-house, a special team of mechanics and additional driver training, but say nothing of the exploding costs of acquiring and maintaining new hybrid buses. Like the street cars of New Orleans, true respect for Montreal and Quebec heritage treasures could have been proposed: Two complete trains could have been preserved in full operational condition (with a mountain of spare parts from their scrapped siblings). Imagine one repainted blue with 1966 striping, the other refurbished with the current paint scheme. Imagine them integrated into glass-walled showroom parking spaces in the middle of a newly-built Métro station, ready to be pulled out for occasional service. What could have been, is no more. If there are trains running around this weekend (July 9 and 10), please let me know. The week of June 17 will be the final week in operation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Walton Posted June 14, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2018 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Transitfan39 Posted June 15, 2018 Report Share Posted June 15, 2018 I wonder if the STM would do something rare and allow the cabin door to be open like they did when the Laval extension opened in 2007 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FelixINX Posted June 16, 2018 Report Share Posted June 16, 2018 On 6/14/2018 at 10:06 PM, Transitfan39 said: I wonder if the STM would do something rare and allow the cabin door to be open like they did when the Laval extension opened in 2007 It would be nice. They did the same thing with Azur on the first day. The STM also announced that they would be stickers on the train for Merci MR-63. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerbil Posted June 18, 2018 Report Share Posted June 18, 2018 According to this article, the STM plans to keep 3 trains (probably they mean 3 elements). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FelixINX Posted June 18, 2018 Report Share Posted June 18, 2018 #MerciMR63 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Transitfan39 Posted June 19, 2018 Report Share Posted June 19, 2018 I was actually on the first trip that the MR-63 made this morning, it looked cool 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anyfong Posted June 19, 2018 Report Share Posted June 19, 2018 On 6/16/2018 at 6:23 PM, FelixINX said: It would be nice. They did the same thing with Azur on the first day. The STM also announced that they would be stickers on the train for Merci MR-63. They did open the door on element 016 today. Though there were too many people crowding the door when I went in, rather similarly to the Azur's inaugural. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTL66 Posted June 19, 2018 Report Share Posted June 19, 2018 The final MR-63 to operate on the Yellow Line was as follows. BERRI 81-532 * 80-016 * 81-531 * 81-506 * 80-003 * 81-505 * 81-502 * 80-001 * 81-501 LONGUEUIL 59 minutes ago, anyfong said: They did open the door on element 016 today. Though there were too many people crowding the door when I went in, rather similarly to the Azur's inaugural. The door was open for the last trip only. I asked the operator if it was ok, and he accepted. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMS Posted June 19, 2018 Report Share Posted June 19, 2018 What time was the last trip? I heard 1730. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTL66 Posted June 19, 2018 Report Share Posted June 19, 2018 45 minutes ago, SMS said: What time was the last trip? I heard 1730. The last trip departed around 17h30 from Berri today, line was running about 10 mins late. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTL66 Posted June 20, 2018 Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 ANGRIGNON 81-532 * 80-016 * 81-531 * 81-506 * 80-003 * 81-505 * 81-502 * 80-001 * 81-501 BEAUGRAND The train is currently parked on the maintenance track at cremazie for any intrested parties 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Transitfan39 Posted June 20, 2018 Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 1 hour ago, MTL66 said: The train is currently parked on the maintenance track at cremazie for any intrested parties Yeah I caught it deadheading from Honore Beaugrand to the Orange Line tonight around 7 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerbil Posted June 21, 2018 Report Share Posted June 21, 2018 It seems as though they will be preserving 3 cars, not 3 trains as the article suggests: http://metrodemontreal.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=252607#252607 Benoît Clairoux is one of the two interviewed in that Radio-Canada clip I posted the other day (along with Philippe Schnobb), so this is probably reliable. It's too bad they aren't keeping 3 elements, since they could never run the train in service with only 3 cars. Also I have to say that element 016 is a much better ride than 003. The suspension in 81-505 wasn't great (lots of shaking and squeaking), while 81-532 was very smooth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frozen Yogurt Posted June 21, 2018 Report Share Posted June 21, 2018 I went to talk with Mr. Schnobb yesterday, and he confirmed that it was 3 cars, i.e. one element. Also he said that the intention is to not run it in service and if, for example, they build a big, new headquarter with enough space they could put it on display. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FelixINX Posted June 21, 2018 Report Share Posted June 21, 2018 For tomorrow on the first and last time on the blue Line: Starts at Snowdon, AM from 6:40 to 9:40 and PM from 15:28 to 18:49. What is your guess: 6 or 9 cars? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTL66 Posted June 21, 2018 Report Share Posted June 21, 2018 4 hours ago, FelixINX said: For tomorrow on the first and last time on the blue Line: Starts at Snowdon, AM from 6:40 to 9:40 and PM from 15:28 to 18:49. What is your guess: 6 or 9 cars? 6 cars, confirmed STM Elements 001 and 003 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Walton Posted June 21, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2018 VERY last run on the Blue Line today, then fini. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTL66 Posted June 22, 2018 Report Share Posted June 22, 2018 COTE VERTU 81-532 * 80-016 * 81-531 * 81-506 * 80-003 * 81-505 * 81-502 * 80-001 * 81-501 MONTMONRENCY ST-MICHEL 81-506 * 80-003 * 81-505 * 81-502 * 80-001 * 81-501 SNOWDON 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
York Transit Posted June 26, 2018 Report Share Posted June 26, 2018 Last time on the Blue Line. But has the MR 63 ever seen service on the blue line? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FelixINX Posted June 26, 2018 Report Share Posted June 26, 2018 4 hours ago, York Transit said: Last time on the Blue Line. But has the MR 63 ever seen service on the blue line? According to the STM, not in scheduled service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom1122 Posted June 26, 2018 Report Share Posted June 26, 2018 I don't normally do this, but does anyone have photos of the ads inside the MR-63 train that I could post on my website. (My pictures were accidentally deleted; FML). I will give credit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now