When one of our trains breaks down, Christophe and his colleagues are in charge of finding and resolving the problem as quickly as possible, so that the train can return to service without delay.
The maintenance teams also check the equipment on a regular basis: “Just like cars, trains need to be brought into the depot for periodic maintenance,” explains Christophe.
Juggling between mechanics, computers and electronics
What kind of job profile is needed? It is important to be meticulous and rigorous. To guarantee safety, we must be attentive to the smallest detail: “As soon as you join RATP, they impress upon you the importance of railway safety: a train that still has a problem is not allowed to leave the depot.”
One day you are working on the roof, the next day it’s a set of doors that needs repair. Our mechanics are multi-skilled and versatile. They often work in teams so that everyone can contribute their specific expertise.
“A train is rather complex,” notes Christophe. “It incorporates mechanics, computers, electronics, pneumatic energy, etc. Everything we learned at school is put to practice!”
To solve a problem, you sometimes need to play Sherlock Holmes
“What is interesting about the job is searching for clues,” adds Christophe. “It is important to understand where the problem is coming from.” In the maintenance depot, several technicians are on hand to help the mechanics identify problems. “It truly is investigative work!”
And it’s worth all the trouble!
What I like is saying to myself that once I fix a train, millions of people ride on it and are happy with my work.
