M1 (Paris Métro)
Encyclopedia
The M1 and MM1 engines, and the cars of the same type constituted the first rolling stock
Rolling stock
Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...

 on the Paris Métro. They began service in 1900 and were constructed of wood.

Original Engines

The original engines consisted of short cars (8 metres (8.7 yd) long) with two axles equipped with a Thomson or Westinghouse system that did not permit them to work in multiple units. As a result, a train set with four cars and one engine serviced only about half of the stations.

Engines with two sets of controls

Engines with two sets of controls existed on lines 2
Paris Metro Line 2
Line 2 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system in Paris, France. Situated almost entirely above the former city walls , it runs in a semi-circle in the north of Paris....

 and 6
Paris Metro Line 6
Line 6 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system. Following a semi-circular route around the southern half of the city above boulevards formed by ancient city walls , it runs from Charles de Gaulle – Étoile in the west and Nation in the east.Opened between 1900 and 1906...

, put in service near the end of 1900. Upon arriving at a terminus, the reversible engines would change direction as was common among tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...

s of the time.

The Thomson-Double

In 1901 and 1902, the new series 100 and 200 were equipped with the Thomson-Double system which permitted two engines to work in multiple units (thus trains with eight cars). This proved to be inconvenient as the system functioned entirely on high voltage (600) and the power of the motors were still barely sufficient. In case of a malfunction, the replacement of a damaged train was also problematic.

These defects came to light during the Paris Métro train fire
Paris Metro train fire
The disastrous Paris Métro train fire occurred on the evening of August 10, 1903, on what was then Line 2 Nord of the system and is now Line 2...

 on August 10, 1903, which resulted in the death of 84 people by asphyxiation from the fire's smoke. Twelve cars were destroyed. This incident directly led to the withdrawal of M1 and MM1 trains on lines 2, 5
Paris Metro Line 5
Paris Métro Line 5 is one of the 16 metro lines built in Paris, France. It crosses the east of Paris from Bobigny to Place d'Italie. It is the eighth busiest line on the network....

 and 6 after 1914, with their eventual retirement on all lines after 1931.

Preserved units

Trailer car B161 and two M1 motor cars are preserved at the Musée des transports urbains.
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