In metro systems all over France I find the screech to be almost painful. Can anyone with more experience chip in on how say Paris compares to New York in this regard?
Did you mean the break squeal[2] or the rail squeal[3]?
[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber-tyred_metro [2]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brake_shoe#Railway_tread_brake [3]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_squeal