Montreal to retire last of the original metro cars

Two MR-63 train cars from the Montreal Metro are shown in this undated image.

It’s the end of an era for the Montreal metro.

After 52 years and four million kilometers, the last of the original cars are about to be retired.

The MR-63s still function well, but are aging and will be replaced by the new AZUR metro cars that have been used since 2016.

Unfortunately, the cars can't be recycled.

Some of the MR63s have been donated to community groups, as well as a rail museum in Saint-Constant. A few have been transformed into galleries, restaurants and pop-up fashion shops.

"The rest will go to scrap," said Carl Arsenaut of the STM. "Nobody can do anything with this material."

Their last week in service will be June 18 to 21.