MF 67
The MF 67 is a fleet of steel-wheel electric multiple unit trains for the Paris Métro. The first MF 67 trains entered service on Line 3 in June 1968, and became one of the biggest orders for the Métro, with 1,482 cars constructed. The need to replace the Sprague-Thomson fleet, as well as increasing costs associated with the later-cancelled plan to introduce rubber-tyred trains on all Métro lines, were the main factors for the size of the order.
At its peak, during the late-1980s and the early-1990s, the MF 67 operated on eight of the fifteen Métro lines : the MF 67 also operated on Lines 7, 8 and 13, all before the introduction of the MF 77 in 1978.
Between 2004 and 2007, the Line 3 sets have been deeply refurbished, adding new lighting, a forced ventilation system, a new black front, rearranged seating, automated announcements, stop indicator lights and door warning lights above the doors. A more moderate refurbishment were done on the trains on lines 3 bis and 9, adding a new black front similar to the ones on line 3 and replacing the old bench seats with single seats. However, sets 129 and 130 from line 12 were transferred to line 3 in 2012 and weren’t renovated, as the renovation of the cars had ended in 2007. Thus, they’re the only non-renovated MF67 sets to run on line 3.
Many of the MF 67 trains have been removed from service: throughout 1994, the MF 88 displaced the MF 67 from Line 7bis, and from 2008 to 2016, the MF 01 replaced the MF 67 on Lines 2, 5, and 9. The younger MF 67 trains from line 9 were transferred to lines 10 and 12, partially replacing older MF 67 trains on those lines. The MF 67 remains in service on Lines 3, 3bis, 10 and 12, where the Île-de-France Mobilités intends to replace the remaining MF 67 trains with the MF 19.
As of 2025, they are the oldest trains running in the Métro and their replacement is scheduled between 2025-2034, starting on lines 10 in 2025, 3bis in 2027, 12 in 2028 and 3 in 2031. Line 3 in particular was the first line to receive the MF67 and will be the last line to retire them, being served by the MF 67 continuously for around 65 years, rivaling the longevity of the Sprague Thomson trains that ran on Line 2 and 5 for approximately 70 years.
Conception
It was originally envisioned by the RATP to convert all Metro lines to rubber-tyred pneumatic operation. However, this plan was later abandoned due to high costs, which in turn, would have prolonged the service of the aging Sprague-Thomson trainsets to 80 years. Therefore, a new class of steel-wheel rolling stock was developed. During the development phase, the MF 67 was known as the MF 65.Series
The MF 67 actually comprises seven different series; however, two series of these trains were prototypes.- Series A : 200 cars were delivered to Line 3 between 1967–1969. They come in A1 and A2 variants.
- *One train in this series was the Zébulon, a stainless-steel prototype that saw intermittent passenger service, last of which was on Line 9. It was used as a training train for many years, until it succumbed to heavy vandalism in 2010. All cars except for one driving car were scrapped as of 2011.
- Series B : 6 cars were delivered in 1968 as prototype trains that never saw commercial service. Converted back to MF 67A.
- Series C : 340 cars delivered to Lines 3 and 7 between 1972 and 1975. Similar to the A series, they come in C1 and C2 variants.
- Series CX : 16 prototype cars that were fitted with "plug" type door openers, similar to that of the MF 77. These ran on Line 9. Converted back to normal MF67 doors and used as part of MF 67D sets
- Series D: 363 new trailer cars mixed with former MF 67A and MF 67C motor cars that were originally deployed to Lines 3, 5, and 9 between 1973 and 1975. They now operate on Lines 3, 3bis, 10, and 12.
- Series E : 56 trains that were originally deployed to Lines 2, 7bis, and 8 between 1975 and 1976. Many trains were replaced by the MF 01 cars between 2008 and 2011, though some were displaced much earlier by the MF 88 cars to Line 10. The trains that operated on Line 10 were retired between 2013 and 2016, being replaced by the MF 67 D trains from line 9 when the latter received new MF 01 trains. Five trains were retained for training in the USFRT tunnel, replacing the Zebulon, but they were retired in 2017.
- Series F : 51 trains that were originally deployed to Lines 7 and 13 between 1976 and 1978. They were redeployed to Line 5. Despite being the youngest series, they have suffered from excessive wear and tear, as well as weather impacts sustained from being stored in the outdoor Bobigny depot. They were replaced by the MF 01 cars between 2011 and 2014.
Technical specifications
- Train-sets delivered: 297
- Configuration: M+R+M+R+M
- Length: ,
- Maximum width:
- Power: or
- Braking: rheostatic brake and electric brake on the series E and F
- Bogies: single or twin with pneumatic suspension on the series E and F
- Maximum speed:
- Authorized speed:
- Doors: 4 doors by vis-à-vis manual opening, opening of
- Air-conditioning: None
Service trains
Formations
47 trains are A1 and C1 sets assigned to line 3. The A2 and C2 sets run on lines 3bis, 10 and 12, with 30 of them assigned to line 10, 51 to line 12 and 6 to line 3bis.Current trainset
Line 3
Line 3bis
Line 10
Line 12
Former trainset
Before 1971
During the first few years of operation, the MF 67s were "full grip". All cars were motorized to maintain efficient speed and acceleration against the MP 59.The order of cars made it possible to create the MP67 D by withdrawing 2 motor cars and replacing them by two cars. All MF 67Ds were transformed into MF 67A or C.
Line 7Bis
Until 1994, with the arrival of the MF 88, line 7bis used MF 67E in a trainset of 4 cars.These trainsets arrived in 1981–82 from lines 8 and 13, and left from the 7bis line in 1994 for line 10
Information:
- AC : Air compressor
- RS : Resistor Control
- M : end power car with driver's cab
- N : power car without driver's cab
- S : end car with driver's cab
- NA : power car without driver's cab and with first class
- A : car with first class
- B : car with only second class