Abstract
The passenger carrying
capacity in AC Chair Cars has been increased by adopting the Double Decker (DD)
concept. The concept considered in the use of space between bogies and
effectively created three levels – LD (Lower Deck), UD (Upper Deck) and MD
(Middle Deck) – for passenger accommodation. This article examined the
possibility of enhancing the level of service in sleeping accommodation by considering
the provision of only lower berths in a coach to eliminate the inconvenience of
using an upper berth and its impact on the capacity.
Introduction
Indian
Railways (IR) operates trains on its long distance passenger services with
sitting and sleeping accommodation in Air Conditioned (AC) and non-AC coaches. The accommodation – sitting and sleeping – is
offered at different Levels of Service (LOS) across the two categories of
coaches.
The
seating accommodation is 3+3 transverse arrangement in non-AC and 2+2
(Executive) and 3+2 (Economy) arrangements in AC Chair Cars (CC). The overall
seating capacity in Executive (56) AC-CCs is almost half of that in Non-AC-CCs (100)
and three-fourths in Economy (78) AC-CCs. The capacity is different among coaches
with different dimensions.
Sleeping
accommodation in two Classes – First and Second - is provided in trains either
in 2-Tier [2T - with a Lower Berth (LB) and an Upper Berth (UB)] or 3-Tier [3T
- including a Middle Berth (MB)] format. The accommodation in First Class always
has a 2T format. The accommodation in Second Class is either in 2T or 3T format
with trains usually having more 3T coaches than 2T coaches to cater to the
larger transport demand. The berth arrangement in 3T coaches is in 3T format
for berths provided in the transverse direction and in 2T format for those
provided in the longitudinal (commonly – Side Berths) direction. IR commonly
uses coaching stock of two makes – ICF and LHB – with each having different
passenger carrying capacities in AC
First Class (AC-1) and AC Second Class (AC-2T / AC-3T).
Capacity Enhancement
Sleeping Accommodation – IR is making continuous
efforts to enhance the capacity for passenger services through increasing the
passenger carrying capacity of coaches in addition to improvements in other
aspects of railway operations such as signaling and augmentation (additional
tracks) of current network and; developing high speed freight and passenger
networks. Capacity of AC-3T coaches was enhanced by changing the format of side
berths from 2T to 3T by providing a MB. This increased the capacity of the
coaches by 8 to 9 berths depending on the coach dimensions and make. This
enhancement was however withdrawn as the LOS was not acceptable to the passengers.
The rising economy and the desire of better LOS by passengers was the reason
for such non acceptance.
Sitting Accommodation – IR in its efforts to
increase the sitting passenger carrying capacity in AC-CCs has adopted the
Double Decker (DD) concept and developed the same with Economy Class capacity
ranging between 120 (Layout shown in figure – Source Maintenance Manual LHB Coaches - Pg 10) and 136 passengers (Pg 8). DD-AC-CCs with Executive Class accommodation have
a capacity for 68 passengers.
LOS – Sleeping Accommodation
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEideWrye24FGscYwM3bN_7vTYio7fzhYOW1iXDh7nAU2j-1qNXDPSit9Z9er0gUywBsyYOFbWczGoJAqRHnoTd7i0LmE5vNJg80BOKHANNB-ZrcjP7qhyB4h8sNVyLxvglb4oXH4v2nx-NE/s1600/LOS+Coaches.bmp)
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LOS and Capacity Enhancement –
Sleeping Accommodation
The
capacity of sitting accommodation was enhanced by the use of the DD concept in
the design of a coach by marginally increasing the height of the coach and use
of well space between the bogies. Although it is termed a DD, in practice the
space for passenger use is available in three decks. The upper and lower decks
of DD Coach use the vertical space between bogies. The space above the bogies
which is at the platform level can also be used for passenger services and is
termed middle deck or mezzanine deck. The space thus generated in the three
decks was considered for providing only lower berths for sleeping accommodation
and the concept layout prepared as shown. The concept considered placement of
three parallel rows (one in the middle and two on sides) of berths in the
longitudinal direction. The conventional coach considers parallel berths in the
transverse direction and a sequence of longitudinal berths on one side of a
coach. The arrangement indicates that the dimension of berths, on both sides,
in lower and upper decks could be 1950 x 630 mm. The dimension of berths in the
middle row could be 1950 x 620 mm. This arrangement provides 14 berths in the
lower deck and similar number could be arranged in the upper deck giving a total
of 28 berths in the two decks together. These are 4 more than the maximum
number of total berths in AC-1 class and 16 more than the maximum number of
lower berths in the coaches of the same class. This suggests enhancement of LOS
(being only lower berths) and capacity simultaneously. The absence of MB and UB
eliminates the inconvenience and difficulties associated in accessing the same
and thus improving the LOS. The capacity can be further increased by provision
of berths with slightly lower LOS through berths of the same width (630 mm) but
reduced / constrained length (4 berths of 1792 mm and 2 berths of 1888 mm) in
the middle deck. Therefore the total capacity of the coach in a single level
sleeper berth format is 34. Thus the
overall capacity in DD Sleeper Coach is more than 40 percent of the maximum
capacity available in two levels in an AC-1 class coach. Of course the width of
berths in DD Sleeper Coach is constrained in comparison to that in AC-1 coaches
currently in operation. This however, is wider than the width of 530 mm of flatbed seats available in some airlines.
The
width of berths on the two sides of the coach can be increased to 740 mm to
enhance the LOS but would require deletion of berths in the middle row on both
upper and lower decks resulting in reducing the overall capacity to 26. Even in
this case the overall capacity is higher than the maximum capacity available in
the conventional AC-1 class coaches.
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DD Sleeper Services
Passenger
services using DD Sleeper Coaches (DD-SC) can be considered for medium distance
journeys between cities which can be covered overnight. Passengers moving such distances using ABC (Air/Bus/Car) modes can be attracted to travel DD-SCs for
reasons of better LOS in comparison to that in existing coaches. Some of the
ABC mode travelers could be those who are lost (cancelled journeys) to rail for
having not obtained accommodation in a LB and are reluctant to travel by either
MB or UB. DD-SCs with a 1+1 or 1+1+1
berth arrangement could be an attraction to some of the bus passengers including
those of even in sleeper buses in which it is either 2+2 arrangement of near
flat facility (reclining) seats or 2+1 and 1+1 flat berth arrangement in 2T
format. Car and air travelers could get attracted to DD-SCs, due to better LOS,
to avoid hassles associated with starting early and/or taking early morning
flights to reach their destinations. This suggestion does not preclude
consideration of DD-SC services on longer routes.
All the best
ReplyDeleteWhat is windows size of the train Compartment ??
ReplyDeleteWindow sizes differ by coach category.
DeleteLAYOUT DESIGN OF EXISTING NON-AC 3-TIER SLEEPER COACH OF ICF DESIGN TO CSC 1705
https://innovate.mygov.in/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/CSC-1705A.pdf
Window size - 610 x 560 mm
LAYOUT OF AC 3-TIER SLEEPER COACH OF ICF DESIGN TO CSC-1722
https://innovate.mygov.in/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/CSC-1722.pdf
Window size - 1220 x 560 mm
Double Decker Coach
http://www.rdso.indianrailways.gov.in/works/uploads/File/double%20decker%20spped%208.pdf
Window size - 1180 x 760 mm