The first generation of rolling stock in Montreal went beyond just adopting the MP 59 car from the Paris Métro. North American cities building metro systems in the 1960s and 1970s (Washington, D.C., San Francisco and Atlanta) were in search of modern rolling stock that not only best fit their needs but also encompassed a change in industrial design that focused on the aesthetics and performances. Until June 2018, some of the Montreal trains were among the oldest North American subway trains in service – the Canadian Vickers MR-63 dating back to the system's opening in 1966 – but extended longevity is expected of rolling stock operated under fully sheltered conditions.