The Paris Metro HD

Watch in High Definition! This video shows the footage I took of the Paris Metro during my recent trip to Europe. Included is a video of the platforms of a typical Paris Metro Station, a ride on Line 9 from Grands Boulevards Station to Strasbourg Saint-Denis Station, the train departing, and a rubber-tire Line 4 train arriving.

Note that on the Metro, the doors are operated by the passengers rather than the operator automatically opening them. Interestingly, the operator enables the door opener before the train comes to a stop, allowing passengers to disembark while the train grinds to a halt. Those of you that are familiar with U.S. railroad rules would know that this would be a major safety violation in the U.S. Also note that the door openers on Line 9 equipment (as with most of the older equipment in the system) are actually handles instead of buttons. Newer equipment such as that on line 4 has buttons. The Metro is unique in that some lines have rails (such as Line 9) and some have trains with rubber tires that run of flat tracks with guide rails (such as Line 4) producing a strange whooshing noise.

The Paris Metro System is historically significant, although it was somewhat of a disappointment. Most trains lacked air conditioning (a serious problem in the middle of a humid summer), they smelled bad (because people were sweating from the oppressive heat), and the stations were constructed in a less than ideal manner. None of the lines share tracks (at least anywhere I went in the system). While it may serve to ease congestion and dispatching, the result is that all lines (even those that run parallel for several stations) are separate, running directly above or below one another, and require navigating the labyrinth of passages and insufficient signage in the stations. An even greater problem is encountered when trying to transfer on perpendicular lines.

While the Paris Metro is interesting, it is not what I'd call a pleasure to ride, and is in need of some form of upgrades. Problems aside, it's a necessary part of Paris and definitely gets people around better than any other form of transportation.

Visit http://www.bnsffan.webs.com/ for more awesome railfanning stuff.

Enjoy!

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• Paris
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• system
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• ride
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• 3rd
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• wheels
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• while
• is
• still
• moving

[HARTline2012]

Line 4 is getting Line 1's stock. There is already one of these running (the MP 89CC).

[Locomotive450]

@HARTline2012 Ironically, we actually rode that one train on one of our rides on Line 4. I didn't have my camera with me at the time.

[Cody1707]

you were there in the summer?

lucky if you were im there for christmas and its extremly cold. im from austin haha so we dont know what cold really is

[fredster0505]

@luerexbob no idea mate

[luerexbob]

Great video. Do you prefer the London Underground or the Paris Metro?

[HARTline2012]

@Locomotive450 Oh I see. That is cool though. :)