Paris Metro Line 4
Encyclopedia
Line 4 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro
rapid transit system. Situated entirely within the boundaries of the City of Paris, it connects Porte de Clignancourt
in the north and Porte d'Orléans
in the south, travelling across the heart of the city. As a result, it is sometimes called the Clignancourt – Orléans Line. At 10.6 km (6.6 mi) in length, it connects to all of the lines of the Métro apart from the 3bis and 7bis branch lines, as well as all of the RER
express lines. Further, it is the second-busiest Métro line after Line 1, carrying over 154 million passengers in 2004.
Line 4 was the first line to connect the Right and Left Banks of Paris via an underwater tunnel built between 1905 and 1907. Line 4 also uses the oldest cars in service on the system, the MP 59, which uses rubber tyres to dissipate the energy of braking power through resistance. Because the MP 59 stock is reaching the end of their useful lives, they are gradually being replaced by the MP 89CC stock from Line 1
. The cascading process began on May 23, 2011 with MP 89CC #01 going into service. Five MP 89CC trains are operating on Line 4 as of September 19, 2011 :fr:Ligne 4 du métro de Paris.
For the first time, Line 4 is being extended into the suburbs, specifically southward to a new station, Mairie de Montrouge. Construction on the extension began in 2008 and is expected to open at the end of 2012 http://www.stif.info/IMG/pdf/STIF_-_Prolongement_M4.pdf.
and the first to cross the Seine
underground (Line 5
—now Line 6
at this point—crossed the river on the Passy bridge, later renamed the Pont de Bir-Hakeim
in 1906). The route was the subject of lengthy discussions that delayed the start of construction of the tunnel. It was originally planned as a straight line under the Rue du Louvre, under the Seine in line with the street, under the Institut de France
, along the Rue de Rennes and then the Boulevard Raspail
to the Porte d'Orleans.
But as a result of the delay in beginning the extension of the Rue de Rennes as part of Haussmann's plan
to the Seine—which was never carried out—and the outcry from the academics who refused categorically to agree to the line passing under the Institut de France, the route was eventually changed to cross further east through the Place du Châtelet
and the Île de la Cité
. The new route also has more coherence as a north-south route following the main traffic flows. A second modification of the route was also made: it was decided to make a temporary deviation via the major station of Gare Montparnasse
to avoid a further delay in opening the line, which was eagerly awaited. This was made necessary by the delay in building the new Boulevard Raspail between Rue de Rennes and Boulevard du Montparnasse. Once the Boulevard Raspail was completed, it was planned to take the shorter route and bypass the Gare Montparnasse. To the south of the Vavin
station the tunnel provides for the final route along the Boulevard Raspail. But the value in serving three major mainline stations by the line later led to the abandonment of this proposal.
(a department with a tradition of supplying building workers in France)—and line 4 became the first to cross the Seine underground. The method used for crossing under the river is that of metal caisson
s, twenty to forty meters in length mounted on the banks and sunken vertically in the river bed. The ends of the caissons were blocked and they were towed to their location before being ballasted with water and sunk in the riverbed. A chamber filled with pressurised air was built at the lower level of these caissons so that workers could excavate under the caissons. Each caisson gradually sank to its final position as the ground below it was removed. The northern stream of the Seine
required three caissons, the southern stream two caissons.
The crossing of the Seine also involved the freezing of saturated ground between the station of Saint-Michel
and the Seine, under the line of the Chemin de Fer de Paris à Orléans (now RER
line C
) in 1908 and 1909. The installation of two refrigeration plants allowed the movement of brine cooled to −25 °C in dozens of tubes to stabilize the ground.
The northern section was the first completed: it was opened on 21 April 1908 from Porte de Clignancourt
to Châtelet
. The southern section was opened 30 on October 1909 from Porte d'Orleans
to Raspail
. The two sections were connected on 9 January 1910. However, the line was closed to traffic a few days later in January 1910, when the level of the Seine broke its banks during the worst flood of the century
. On the morning of 24 January 1910, a significant inflow of water at the Seine crossing interrupted services between Châtelet and Vavin, although services were restored later in the day. But the inflow increased and services were again halted in the afternoon. On 26 January Châtelet station and the crossing under the river was completely flooded and slowly rose in the tunnel. On the night of 27 and 28 January, flooding reached Réaumur – Sébastopol
and eventually Gare de l'Est
: The line at its minimum was reduced to operating between Clignancourt and Gare du Nord and between Vavin and Porte d'Orleans. The fall in the level of flooding during February allowed a gradual resumption of operations, but full service was not restored to 6 April after repair of extensive damage caused to the infrastructure.
Image:Paris - Les travaux du Metropolitain - Foncage d un caisson.jpg|Sinking of a caisson in the narrow (southern) stream of the Seine
in 1906
Image:Paris - Les travaux du Metropolitain - Foncage du caisson central.jpg|Sinking of the central caisson in the northern stream of the Seine
Image:Paris - Les travaux du Metropolitain place Saint-Michel.jpg|Sinking of the Saint-Michel
station
Image:Paris - Travaux du Metropolitain - Les fermes de la place Saint-Michel.jpg|Work sites in the Place Saint-Michel and Boulevard Saint-Andre before the sinking
During the politically turbulent 1930s, Line 4 had its own drama: on 27 July 1934, a package left in a carriage was carried into the office of its chief supervisor, located on the platform of Montparnasse. The package exploded, killing the chief supervisor and another officer and wounding four passengers. The assassins were never found.
During World War II the most violent bombing Paris suffered was on the night of 20 and 21 April 1944 when the rail freight yard of la Chapelle and the main truck workshop at Rue Championnet were hit. The roof of the Simplon
station was hit by a bomb and it collapsed on the tracks and platforms. After repairs the line was brought back into service a few days later.
The RATP was satisfied by experimentation with rubber tyres
on Line 11
beginning in 1956. It therefore decided to equip lines 1 and 4 for rubber-tyre operations, which can increase line capacity by providing better acceleration and decelerations as a result of a much superior grip.
In the early 1960s these two lines were the two busiest on the network, with loads of 140% of capacity during the evening peak. However, as this change alone was insufficient to overcome this saturation, the length of stations was lengthened from 75 to 90 metres, allowing the lengthening of train from five to six carriages. This work was carried out very quickly and, as early as October 1965, trains of six carriages traversed the line. On 3 October 1966, the first train composed of MP 59
electric multiple unit
s operated on the line. The Line 4 trains were identical to those on Line 1, being composed of four motor and two trailers per train. The line’s MP 59 fleet included 556 carriages, comprising 376 powered carriages and 180 trailers. On 17 July 1967, the last steel-wheeled train left the line to strengthen the service of other with a hundred cars built before 1914 scrapped. In February 1971, line 4 was the second network after line 11 to be equipped with semi-automatic operation, with a system known as Grecque (“Greek”). This allowed trains once started by the driver to run automatically and stop at the next station.
Since its opening the only change of the route of the line took place in early October 1977 with the deviation of the line with the relocation of the station at Les Halles
. During the excavation of the enormous Les Halles
complex the station of Les Halles was relocated about ten metres further east to allow a shorter connection to Châtelet – Les Halles RER station. For this, three hundred and thirty meters of tunnel were built to join the old route. The changeover took place on three consecutive nights from 10 pm on Friday, 30 September 1977 to the beginning of services on Monday, 3 October. On the first night, the new Line 2 was connected, on the second night, the Line 1 was built and on the last night it was connected.
On 6 August 2005 at 4:42 pm, a fire on a train at Simplon due to the malfunction of a circuit breaker
caused the evacuation of two MP 59 trains with 19 people mildly affected. The fire was extinguished by fire fighters at around 6:00 pm.
in April, 2011, as the project to fully automate Line 1 is nearing completion. The introduction of new rolling stock for Line 1 (the MP 05
) allowed the RATP to transfer the MP 89CC stock to Line 4 to replace the MP 59. Testing of the MP 89 during overnight hours took place in 2010, with the first train (#01) to be transferred to Line 4 in April, 2011 and enter service on May 23, 2011. A second train (#44) entered service on September 10, 2011. A third train (#14) entered service in on October 26, 2011, followed by #s 20 and 29 in November, 2011 :fr:Ligne 4 du métro de Parishttp://www.symbioz.net/index.php?id=101. It is expected that the cascading process will speed up once the MP 05 begin to debut on Line 1 (expected in November, 2011). However, due to Line 4 only having one garage at Saint Ouen, numerous trains must be stored within the tunnels at night. Additionally, only a limited number of MP 59 stock can be removed from service each month, making the cascading process slower than originally predicted http://www.symbioz.net/index.php?id=101.
It is expected that a majority of the MP 59 stock will be scrapped. However, trains that are in better condition are expected to be transferred to Line 11
.
The line is planned to be extended further south after that with two more stations: Verdun Sud at the frontier between Montrouge and Bagneux (in Montrouge) and Bagneux. In October, 2011, the STIF announced that construction of the Bagneux extension will begin in 2014, with opening expected in 2019 http://www.stif.info/IMG/pdf/STIF_-_Prolongement_M4.pdf.
An extension to the north to the "docks" of Saint-Ouen
(an urban redevelopment project next to the Seine
) via Mairie de Saint-Ouen
is planned for phase 1 (2007–2013) of the Schéma directeur de la région Île-de-France ("Master Plan for the Île-de-France
region", SDRIF), which was adopted by resolution of the Regional Council of Ile-de-France on 25 September 2008. However no detailed studies have been carried out or finance set aside for it.
The line is expected to be converted to an automated system (like Line 14
), after conversion of Line 1
is completed.
Paris Métro
The Paris Métro or Métropolitain is the rapid transit metro system in Paris, France. It has become a symbol of the city, noted for its density within the city limits and its uniform architecture influenced by Art Nouveau. The network's sixteen lines are mostly underground and run to 214 km ...
rapid transit system. Situated entirely within the boundaries of the City of Paris, it connects Porte de Clignancourt
Porte de Clignancourt (Paris Metro)
Porte de Clignancourt is a station of the Paris Métro, the northern terminus of line 4, situated in the 18th Arrondissement.The station was opened on 21 April 1908 as part of the first section of the line from Châtelet. A terminal loop is provided at the station for trains to turn around to return...
in the north and Porte d'Orléans
Porte d'Orléans (Paris Metro)
Porte d'Orléans is a station and southern terminus of line 4 of the Paris Métro and a stop on tramway line 3. It is situated in the 14th Arrondissement, in the quartier of Petit-Montrouge. A terminal loop is provided at the station for trains to turn around to return north towards Porte de...
in the south, travelling across the heart of the city. As a result, it is sometimes called the Clignancourt – Orléans Line. At 10.6 km (6.6 mi) in length, it connects to all of the lines of the Métro apart from the 3bis and 7bis branch lines, as well as all of the RER
RER
The RER is a rapid transit system in France serving Paris and its suburbs. The RER is an integration of a modern city-centre underground rail and a pre-existing set of commuter rail lines. It has several connections with the Paris Métro within the city of Paris. Within the city, the RER...
express lines. Further, it is the second-busiest Métro line after Line 1, carrying over 154 million passengers in 2004.
Line 4 was the first line to connect the Right and Left Banks of Paris via an underwater tunnel built between 1905 and 1907. Line 4 also uses the oldest cars in service on the system, the MP 59, which uses rubber tyres to dissipate the energy of braking power through resistance. Because the MP 59 stock is reaching the end of their useful lives, they are gradually being replaced by the MP 89CC stock from Line 1
Paris Metro Line 1
Paris Métro Line 1 is one of the sixteen lines composing the Paris Métro . It connects the La Défense – Grande Arche and Château de Vincennes stations. With a 16.5 km length, it constitutes an "East-West" route transportation important for the City of Paris...
. The cascading process began on May 23, 2011 with MP 89CC #01 going into service. Five MP 89CC trains are operating on Line 4 as of September 19, 2011 :fr:Ligne 4 du métro de Paris.
For the first time, Line 4 is being extended into the suburbs, specifically southward to a new station, Mairie de Montrouge. Construction on the extension began in 2008 and is expected to open at the end of 2012 http://www.stif.info/IMG/pdf/STIF_-_Prolongement_M4.pdf.
Chronology
- 21 April 1908: A first section of the line was inaugurated to the north of the SeineSeineThe Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...
between Porte de Clignancourt and Châtelet. - 30 October 1909: A second section of the line was inaugurated south of the Seine between Porte d'Orléans and Raspail.
- 9 January 1910: Both sections were linked by a new tunnel between Châtelet and Raspail. Line 4 was the first line crossing the Seine river underground.
- 1967: The rails were converted in order to cater for rubber-tired trains.
- 3 October 1977: The station Les Halles was rebuilt to interchange with the new RER network.
- 23 May 2011: Cascading of MP 59 to MP 89CC rolling stock began.
Origins
Line 4, opened in, 1908 was the last line of the original concession of the Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de ParisCompagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris
The Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris , or CMP, was the forerunner of the RATP, the company managing the Parisian subway.- Origin :...
and the first to cross the Seine
Seine
The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...
underground (Line 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....
—now Line 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...
at this point—crossed the river on the Passy bridge, later renamed the Pont de Bir-Hakeim
Pont de Bir-Hakeim
The pont de Bir-Hakeim, formerly the pont de Passy, is a bridge that crosses the Seine River in Paris, France. It connects the city's 15th and 16th arrondissements, and passes through the île aux Cygnes....
in 1906). The route was the subject of lengthy discussions that delayed the start of construction of the tunnel. It was originally planned as a straight line under the Rue du Louvre, under the Seine in line with the street, under the Institut de France
Institut de France
The Institut de France is a French learned society, grouping five académies, the most famous of which is the Académie française.The institute, located in Paris, manages approximately 1,000 foundations, as well as museums and chateaux open for visit. It also awards prizes and subsidies, which...
, along the Rue de Rennes and then the Boulevard Raspail
Boulevard Raspail
Boulevard Raspail is a boulevard of Paris, in France.Its orientation is north-south, and joins boulevard Saint-Germain with place Denfert-Rochereau whilst traversing 7th, 6th and 14th arrondissements...
to the Porte d'Orleans.
But as a result of the delay in beginning the extension of the Rue de Rennes as part of Haussmann's plan
Haussmann's renovation of Paris
Haussmann's Renovation of Paris, or the Haussmann Plan, was a modernization program of Paris commissioned by Napoléon III and led by the Seine prefect, Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann, between 1853 and 1870...
to the Seine—which was never carried out—and the outcry from the academics who refused categorically to agree to the line passing under the Institut de France, the route was eventually changed to cross further east through the Place du Châtelet
Place du Châtelet
The Place du Châtelet is a public square in Paris, on the right bank of the river Seine, on the borderline between the 1st and 4th arrondissements...
and the Île de la Cité
Île de la Cité
The Île de la Cité is one of two remaining natural islands in the Seine within the city of Paris . It is the centre of Paris and the location where the medieval city was refounded....
. The new route also has more coherence as a north-south route following the main traffic flows. A second modification of the route was also made: it was decided to make a temporary deviation via the major station of Gare Montparnasse
Gare Montparnasse
Paris Montparnasse is one of the six large terminus railway stations of Paris, located in the Montparnasse area in the XIVe arrondissement. The station was opened in 1840, and rebuilt completely in 1969...
to avoid a further delay in opening the line, which was eagerly awaited. This was made necessary by the delay in building the new Boulevard Raspail between Rue de Rennes and Boulevard du Montparnasse. Once the Boulevard Raspail was completed, it was planned to take the shorter route and bypass the Gare Montparnasse. To the south of the Vavin
Vavin (Paris Metro)
Vavin is a station of the Paris Métro on line 4 on the border of the 6th arrondissement and 14th arrondissement.The station was opened on 9 January 1910 as part of the connecting section of the line under the Seine between Châtelet and Raspail...
station the tunnel provides for the final route along the Boulevard Raspail. But the value in serving three major mainline stations by the line later led to the abandonment of this proposal.
A spectacular construction site
In 1905 construction was started by the company of Léon Chagnaud—a former mason from CreuseCreuse
Creuse is a department in central France named after the Creuse River.-History:Creuse is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from the former province of La Marche....
(a department with a tradition of supplying building workers in France)—and line 4 became the first to cross the Seine underground. The method used for crossing under the river is that of metal caisson
Caisson (engineering)
In geotechnical engineering, a caisson is a retaining, watertight structure used, for example, to work on the foundations of a bridge pier, for the construction of a concrete dam, or for the repair of ships. These are constructed such that the water can be pumped out, keeping the working...
s, twenty to forty meters in length mounted on the banks and sunken vertically in the river bed. The ends of the caissons were blocked and they were towed to their location before being ballasted with water and sunk in the riverbed. A chamber filled with pressurised air was built at the lower level of these caissons so that workers could excavate under the caissons. Each caisson gradually sank to its final position as the ground below it was removed. The northern stream of the Seine
Seine
The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...
required three caissons, the southern stream two caissons.
The crossing of the Seine also involved the freezing of saturated ground between the station of Saint-Michel
Saint-Michel (Paris Metro)
Saint-Michel is a station on Line 4 of the Paris Métro in the 5th arrondissement. Located in the Quartier Latin, it offers a connection to the St-Michel - Notre-Dame RER station...
and the Seine, under the line of the Chemin de Fer de Paris à Orléans (now RER
RER
The RER is a rapid transit system in France serving Paris and its suburbs. The RER is an integration of a modern city-centre underground rail and a pre-existing set of commuter rail lines. It has several connections with the Paris Métro within the city of Paris. Within the city, the RER...
line C
RER C
The RER C is one of the five lines in the RER rapid transit system serving :Paris, France. It is operated by SNCF.The line runs from the northwestern terminuses Pontoise , Versailles – Rive Gauche and Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines to the southeastern terminuses Massy-Palaiseau , Dourdan-la-Forêt , ...
) in 1908 and 1909. The installation of two refrigeration plants allowed the movement of brine cooled to −25 °C in dozens of tubes to stabilize the ground.
The northern section was the first completed: it was opened on 21 April 1908 from Porte de Clignancourt
Porte de Clignancourt (Paris Metro)
Porte de Clignancourt is a station of the Paris Métro, the northern terminus of line 4, situated in the 18th Arrondissement.The station was opened on 21 April 1908 as part of the first section of the line from Châtelet. A terminal loop is provided at the station for trains to turn around to return...
to Châtelet
Châtelet (Paris Metro)
Châtelet is a station on lines 1, 4, 7, 11 and 14 of the Paris Métro in the centre of medieval Paris and the 1st arrondissement. The station is made up of two parts connected by a long corridor:...
. The southern section was opened 30 on October 1909 from Porte d'Orleans
Porte d'Orléans (Paris Metro)
Porte d'Orléans is a station and southern terminus of line 4 of the Paris Métro and a stop on tramway line 3. It is situated in the 14th Arrondissement, in the quartier of Petit-Montrouge. A terminal loop is provided at the station for trains to turn around to return north towards Porte de...
to Raspail
Raspail (Paris Metro)
Raspail is a station of the Paris Métro, serving Line 4 and Line 6 in the 14th arrondissement. The station is currently undergoing renovation works....
. The two sections were connected on 9 January 1910. However, the line was closed to traffic a few days later in January 1910, when the level of the Seine broke its banks during the worst flood of the century
1910 Great Flood of Paris
The 1910 Great Flood of Paris was a catastrophe in which the Seine River, carrying winter rains from its tributaries, flooded Paris, France, and several nearby communities....
. On the morning of 24 January 1910, a significant inflow of water at the Seine crossing interrupted services between Châtelet and Vavin, although services were restored later in the day. But the inflow increased and services were again halted in the afternoon. On 26 January Châtelet station and the crossing under the river was completely flooded and slowly rose in the tunnel. On the night of 27 and 28 January, flooding reached Réaumur – Sébastopol
Réaumur - Sébastopol (Paris Metro)
Réaumur – Sébastopol is a station of the Paris Métro in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris. It serves Line 3 and Line 4.The station was opened as Rue Saint-Denis on 19 October 1904 as part of the first section of the line 3 between Père Lachaise and Villiers. It was renamed to the current name in 15...
and eventually Gare de l'Est
Gare de l'Est (Paris Metro)
Gare de l'Est is a station of the Paris Métro, serving Line 4, Line 5, and Line 7.The station was opened on 15 November 1907 as part of the extension of line 5 from Lancry to Gare du Nord. The line 4 platforms were opened on 21 April 1908 as part of the first section of the line from Châtelet to...
: The line at its minimum was reduced to operating between Clignancourt and Gare du Nord and between Vavin and Porte d'Orleans. The fall in the level of flooding during February allowed a gradual resumption of operations, but full service was not restored to 6 April after repair of extensive damage caused to the infrastructure.
Image:Paris - Les travaux du Metropolitain - Foncage d un caisson.jpg|Sinking of a caisson in the narrow (southern) stream of the Seine
Seine
The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...
in 1906
Image:Paris - Les travaux du Metropolitain - Foncage du caisson central.jpg|Sinking of the central caisson in the northern stream of the Seine
Image:Paris - Les travaux du Metropolitain place Saint-Michel.jpg|Sinking of the Saint-Michel
Saint-Michel (Paris Metro)
Saint-Michel is a station on Line 4 of the Paris Métro in the 5th arrondissement. Located in the Quartier Latin, it offers a connection to the St-Michel - Notre-Dame RER station...
station
Image:Paris - Travaux du Metropolitain - Les fermes de la place Saint-Michel.jpg|Work sites in the Place Saint-Michel and Boulevard Saint-Andre before the sinking
During the politically turbulent 1930s, Line 4 had its own drama: on 27 July 1934, a package left in a carriage was carried into the office of its chief supervisor, located on the platform of Montparnasse. The package exploded, killing the chief supervisor and another officer and wounding four passengers. The assassins were never found.
During World War II the most violent bombing Paris suffered was on the night of 20 and 21 April 1944 when the rail freight yard of la Chapelle and the main truck workshop at Rue Championnet were hit. The roof of the Simplon
Simplon (Paris Metro)
Simplon is a station of the Paris Métro, serving line 4 in the 18th arrondissement of Paris.The station was opened on 21 April 1908 as part of the first section of the line from Châtelet to Porte de Clignancourt. It takes its name from the Rue du Simplon, named after the Simplon Pass in the...
station was hit by a bomb and it collapsed on the tracks and platforms. After repairs the line was brought back into service a few days later.
The rubber tyre metro and the deviation of the line
Rubber-tyred metro
A rubber-tyred metro is a form of rapid transit system that uses a mix of road and rail technology. The vehicles have wheels with rubber tyres which run on rolling pads inside guide bars for traction, as well as traditional railway steel wheels with deep flanges on steel tracks for guidance through...
on Line 11
Paris Metro Line 11
Paris Métro Line 11 is one of 16 Paris métro lines. It links Les Lilas in the North East of the city to Châtelet in the center of Paris. It is the shortest of the 14 metro lines having independent management...
beginning in 1956. It therefore decided to equip lines 1 and 4 for rubber-tyre operations, which can increase line capacity by providing better acceleration and decelerations as a result of a much superior grip.
In the early 1960s these two lines were the two busiest on the network, with loads of 140% of capacity during the evening peak. However, as this change alone was insufficient to overcome this saturation, the length of stations was lengthened from 75 to 90 metres, allowing the lengthening of train from five to six carriages. This work was carried out very quickly and, as early as October 1965, trains of six carriages traversed the line. On 3 October 1966, the first train composed of MP 59
MP 59
The MP 59 is a rubber tired variant of electric multiple units used on Paris's Métro system, and is the oldest type still in regular passenger service. Manufactured by GEC Alsthom, they were first introduced in 1963 when the busiest routes of Lines 1 and 4 were converted to rubber tired pneumatic...
electric multiple unit
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
s operated on the line. The Line 4 trains were identical to those on Line 1, being composed of four motor and two trailers per train. The line’s MP 59 fleet included 556 carriages, comprising 376 powered carriages and 180 trailers. On 17 July 1967, the last steel-wheeled train left the line to strengthen the service of other with a hundred cars built before 1914 scrapped. In February 1971, line 4 was the second network after line 11 to be equipped with semi-automatic operation, with a system known as Grecque (“Greek”). This allowed trains once started by the driver to run automatically and stop at the next station.
Since its opening the only change of the route of the line took place in early October 1977 with the deviation of the line with the relocation of the station at Les Halles
Les Halles (Paris Metro)
Les Halles is a station on line 4 of the Paris Métro in the 1st arrondissement.The original station on 21 April 1908 as part of the first section of the line from Châtelet to Porte de Clignancourt to serve Les Halles . The station was rebuilt in 1977 about ten metres further east to interchange...
. During the excavation of the enormous Les Halles
Les Halles
Les Halles is an area of Paris, France, located in the 1er arrondissement, just south of the fashionable rue Montorgueil. It is named for the large central wholesale marketplace, which was demolished in 1971, to be replaced with an underground modern shopping precinct, the Forum des Halles...
complex the station of Les Halles was relocated about ten metres further east to allow a shorter connection to Châtelet – Les Halles RER station. For this, three hundred and thirty meters of tunnel were built to join the old route. The changeover took place on three consecutive nights from 10 pm on Friday, 30 September 1977 to the beginning of services on Monday, 3 October. On the first night, the new Line 2 was connected, on the second night, the Line 1 was built and on the last night it was connected.
On 6 August 2005 at 4:42 pm, a fire on a train at Simplon due to the malfunction of a circuit breaker
Circuit breaker
A circuit breaker is an automatically operated electrical switch designed to protect an electrical circuit from damage caused by overload or short circuit. Its basic function is to detect a fault condition and, by interrupting continuity, to immediately discontinue electrical flow...
caused the evacuation of two MP 59 trains with 19 people mildly affected. The fire was extinguished by fire fighters at around 6:00 pm.
Transition from the MP 59 to the MP 89CC
The RATP began to gradually replace the aging MP 59 stock with the MP 89CC stock from Line 1Paris Metro Line 1
Paris Métro Line 1 is one of the sixteen lines composing the Paris Métro . It connects the La Défense – Grande Arche and Château de Vincennes stations. With a 16.5 km length, it constitutes an "East-West" route transportation important for the City of Paris...
in April, 2011, as the project to fully automate Line 1 is nearing completion. The introduction of new rolling stock for Line 1 (the MP 05
MP 05
The MP 05 Rubber-tyred metro ordered in 2005 is a rubber-tyred electric multiple unit with automatic opearation, ordered by the RATP in 2005 for the Paris Métro. The units are to replace the older MP 89s on line 1 in order to remove drivers from the line...
) allowed the RATP to transfer the MP 89CC stock to Line 4 to replace the MP 59. Testing of the MP 89 during overnight hours took place in 2010, with the first train (#01) to be transferred to Line 4 in April, 2011 and enter service on May 23, 2011. A second train (#44) entered service on September 10, 2011. A third train (#14) entered service in on October 26, 2011, followed by #s 20 and 29 in November, 2011 :fr:Ligne 4 du métro de Parishttp://www.symbioz.net/index.php?id=101. It is expected that the cascading process will speed up once the MP 05 begin to debut on Line 1 (expected in November, 2011). However, due to Line 4 only having one garage at Saint Ouen, numerous trains must be stored within the tunnels at night. Additionally, only a limited number of MP 59 stock can be removed from service each month, making the cascading process slower than originally predicted http://www.symbioz.net/index.php?id=101.
It is expected that a majority of the MP 59 stock will be scrapped. However, trains that are in better condition are expected to be transferred to Line 11
Paris Metro Line 11
Paris Métro Line 11 is one of 16 Paris métro lines. It links Les Lilas in the North East of the city to Châtelet in the center of Paris. It is the shortest of the 14 metro lines having independent management...
.
Future
A one-station extension to the south is currently underway, with the new station (Mairie de Montrouge) expected to be open to the public in 2012.The line is planned to be extended further south after that with two more stations: Verdun Sud at the frontier between Montrouge and Bagneux (in Montrouge) and Bagneux. In October, 2011, the STIF announced that construction of the Bagneux extension will begin in 2014, with opening expected in 2019 http://www.stif.info/IMG/pdf/STIF_-_Prolongement_M4.pdf.
An extension to the north to the "docks" of Saint-Ouen
Saint-Ouen, Seine-Saint-Denis
Saint-Ouen is a commune in the Seine-Saint-Denis department. It is located in the northern suburbs of Paris, France 6.6 km from the centre of Paris....
(an urban redevelopment project next to the Seine
Seine
The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...
) via Mairie de Saint-Ouen
Mairie de Saint-Ouen (Paris Métro)
Mairie de Saint-Ouen is a station on line 13 of the Paris Métro in the commune of Saint-Ouen. The station opened on 30 June 1952 when the line was extended from Porte de Saint-Ouen to Carrefour Pleyel. It is named after the nearby town hall of Saint-Ouen....
is planned for phase 1 (2007–2013) of the Schéma directeur de la région Île-de-France ("Master Plan for the Île-de-France
Île-de-France (région)
Île-de-France is the wealthiest and most populated of the twenty-two administrative regions of France, composed mostly of the Paris metropolitan area....
region", SDRIF), which was adopted by resolution of the Regional Council of Ile-de-France on 25 September 2008. However no detailed studies have been carried out or finance set aside for it.
The line is expected to be converted to an automated system (like Line 14
Paris Metro Line 14
Line 14 of the Paris Métro system connects the stations Saint Lazare and Olympiades on a north-west south-east diagonal across the centre of Paris. It is the twelfth busiest of sixteen lines on the network, and as of 2011, the only one to be operated completely automatically; the second such line...
), after conversion of Line 1
Paris Metro Line 1
Paris Métro Line 1 is one of the sixteen lines composing the Paris Métro . It connects the La Défense – Grande Arche and Château de Vincennes stations. With a 16.5 km length, it constitutes an "East-West" route transportation important for the City of Paris...
is completed.
Stations renamed
- 15 November 1913: Vaugirard station was renamed Saint-Placide.
- 5 May 1931: Boulevard Saint-Denis was renamed Strasbourg – Saint-Denis.
- 25 August 1931: Marcadet (on line 4) and Poissonniers (on line 12) were combined and the resulting station was renamed Marcadet – Poissonniers.
- 6 October 1942: Montparnasse (on lines 4 and 12) and Bienvenüe (on lines 6 and the current 13) were combined and the resulting station was renamed Montparnasse – Bienvenüe.
Tourism
Metro line 4 passes near several places of interest :- Barbès and the Goutte d'Or and their African and Asian influences.
- Gare du NordGare du NordParis Nord is one of the six large terminus railway stations of the SNCF mainline network for Paris, France. It offers connections with several urban transportation lines, including Paris Métro and RER...
and Gare de l'EstGare de l'Estis one of the six large SNCF termini in Paris. It is in the 10th arrondissement, not far from the Gare du Nord, facing the Boulevard de Strasbourg, part of the north-south axis of Paris created by Baron Haussmann...
19th century train stations. - L'Île de la CitéÎle de la CitéThe Île de la Cité is one of two remaining natural islands in the Seine within the city of Paris . It is the centre of Paris and the location where the medieval city was refounded....
with the Notre Dame CathedralNotre Dame de ParisNotre Dame de Paris , also known as Notre Dame Cathedral, is a Gothic, Roman Catholic cathedral on the eastern half of the Île de la Cité in the fourth arrondissement of Paris, France. It is the cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese of Paris: that is, it is the church that contains the cathedra of...
. - Saint-Michel and the Latin QuarterLatin QuarterLatin Quarter is a part of the 5th arrondissement in Paris.Latin Quarter may also refer to:* Latin Quarter , a British pop/rock band* Latin Quarter , a 1945 British film*Latin Quarter, Aarhus, part of Midtbyen, Aarhus C, Denmark...
. - Saint-Germain des Prés quarter with its church and famous cafés.
- Rue de Rennes shopping street.
- Luxembourg Garden.
- MontparnasseMontparnasseMontparnasse is an area of Paris, France, on the left bank of the river Seine, centred at the crossroads of the Boulevard du Montparnasse and the Rue de Rennes, between the Rue de Rennes and boulevard Raspail...
, its famous cafés and the Montparnasse TowerTour MontparnasseTour Maine-Montparnasse , also commonly named Tour Montparnasse, is a tall office skyscraper located in Paris, France, in the area of Montparnasse. Constructed from 1969 to 1972, it was the tallest skyscraper in France until 2011, when it was surpassed in height by the Tour First...
.
See also
- List of stations of the Paris Métro
- List of stations of the Paris RER