18 MORE PHOTOS: Madrid Metro

[WMATAGMOAGH]

Continuing with the Europe teasers from the recent update to my website, http://www.orenstransitpage.com, we now move on to Madrid.  I know CAF gets a bad rap here and elsewhere due to the quality and delays associated with the WMATA 5000 Series cars, but CAF does have some decent cars to its name, especially in Madrid but also elsewhere in Europe.  My favorites are the 8000 Series from Madrid, which get up to fairly decent speeds on Line 8 from downtown out to the Airport.  I haven't ever been on Line 12 (MetroSur), where they also run, in addition to occasoinally showing up on other lines for rush hour service.
Most of the Madrid Metro is underground, I've covered most of the above ground segments there on my trips to Madrid in 2005 and again this past June.  A few are outside of the primary fare zone, and since I didn't wish to spend the additional money to reach them, haven't been on them.  Like in most other European cities, no railfan window here either.  However, the powers that be tantalize those of us who like the window.  On the newer cars, they have put a Metro Madrid logo over the window between the passenger area and cab that appears to be the same type of stuff one would use to do an advertising wrap on a bus, making seeing through next to impossible.  However, in 2005, I had at least one train without this treatment, and the views are spectacular.  (The older rolling stock just has a solid wall between the passenger area and cab.)
Like in Barcelona, the Madrid Metro uses overhead wires for its power source, but unlike the Barcelona Metro and most other train lines in Spain, the Madrid Metro operates using left hand running (think London).
Similar to New York, Madrid's Metro trains both have the same rail gauge but the trains are different widths, referred to as narrow profile or wide profile.  Several segments have been converted from narrow profile to wide profile, and Line 11 is a wide profile line currently using narrow profile stock, with the platforms having been extended to fill in the gap.
Anyway, enough of my own explanation and commentary, time for photos.
We'll start with the wide profile stock and the aforementioned CAF 8000 Series since they are my favorite Madrid subway cars.







You can see the advertising logo wrap on the wall behind the cab in this photo:



There are two types of rolling stock not built by CAF, these are the 7000 and 9000 Series cars, both built by Breda.  The newer 9000s are very similar to the 7000s, the primary distinguishing features of the 9000s are that they cars have enhanced access for disabled passengers (which I didn't really notice) and warning lights to alert passengers that the train doors are closing.
First, a 7000 Series trainset:



And now two 9000 Series trains, with the second train serving a station that employs the "Spanish Solution" for passenger flow:





Older wide profile models are the CAF 5000 Series and CAF 6000 Series cars, which are seen here. 
The 5000 Series are the only cars in Madrid to not have passenger operated doors:





And the 6000 Series were the first to have articulated joints between cars, but the cars are in married pairs, not full 6 car trainsets.



Moving on to the narrow profile stock, there are only two types currently running.  The 3000 Series are the newest narrow profile cars.  They were built by CAF and are very similar to the 8000 Series, except narrower, and they have a different interior color scheme.








The 2000 Series has two subserieses within the class.  Some 2000A cars are being retired as 3000 Series trains are brought online, the rest will be retained for Line 1 service and are being refurbished.  The refurbished cars can be distinguished on the outside by their electronic run number displays and the destination signs on their fronts, with the train in the first photo being an example.





The 2000B Series, are nicknamed burbujas (Spanish for bubble) due to their rounded head ends.  They were designed that way to give the cars a sleeker look, since the 2000As are pretty boxy (the 6000s, shown further up the post, were also designed to introduce a sleek look to the Metro, since the 5000s and other cars that preceeded them were boxy as well).  They run on Line 5 with some 2000As mixed in and there are no plans to retire them as of now. 







Enough for now, the next post will be for Madrid's Metro Ligero (light rail) and some of photos of the stations without trains, which are sometimes very impressive.  And as always, you can find more on my website, orenstransitpage.com.

[LandoverDivision]

I love WMATA's CAF cars. I don't understand what's not to like about them. They have this lighter sound than the other cars, but other than that they are no different from the other cars except the name.

[WMATAGMOAGH]

I love WMATA's CAF cars. I don't understand what's not to like about them. They have this lighter sound than the other cars, but other than that they are no different from the other cars except the name.

They have a low MDBF and a slew of other issues, and the build quality is not nearly as high as it is on the other cars. 

[smithavechuck]

Awesome photos.  Modern vehicles.  Wish we had similar trains in Baltimore.

Thanks again.

Chuck