Paris Metro – 100 Years of Line 9: On Board a Historic Train!
This page is translated from the original post "Métro Paris – 100 ans de Ligne 9 : à bord d’une rame historique !" in French.
- 05/11/2022 18:00
On the occasion of the centenary of Paris metro line 9, RATP displayed a train car that is 85 years old, which we have (re)discovered.
It’s not every day that you celebrate 100 years! Paris metro line 9, opened in 1922 and currently undergoing renovation, is celebrating its centenary this year. The RATP group marked the occasion with a surprise full of history.
Aboard the Paris Metro Version 1937
The very first train from 1922 was not available, but the company nevertheless brought out a 1937 version, in an absolutely exceptional condition. This AB.5338 model from the Sprague-Thomson series did not operate exactly on line 9, but on line 5, at least from 1956 until April 1980.
Mobiwisy took places aboard this two-car train, which the RATP placed in the Porte de Saint-Cloud station on line 9, at the border between Paris and Boulogne-Billancourt. It is only displayed there this weekend, on October 5 and 6, accessible from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. What a marvel of preservation—it looks like it operates daily. Even the advertisements and the line map are period-specific, with stations bearing names that no longer exist!
When the Metro Had First and Second Classes
You may have noticed in the photos that the two cars are not the same color, nor do they have the same interior. This is not a mistake or a mix-up of models, because Paris had a metro offering a choice between first and second class.
On the exterior enameled sheet metal, the second-class cars are green with wood seats. The first-class cars are red, with plush leather seats. Luxury! It was necessary to pay 50% more for access… except during rush hours, when they were accessible to all, recalls the RATP.
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