Indian Railways is set to produce 144 AC ‘Economy’ Class coaches according to the revised production programme for FY 2020-21. These coaches will be manufactured at Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala and Integral Coach Factory, Chennai.
In what seems like part of a larger cutback, all three factories together will roll out a total 5,062 coaches and other vehicles this financial year. The original plan was to produce 8,675 units.
AC Economy to Fill Gap Between 3AC and SL?
Not much is officially known about Indian Railways’ plans for these new AC ‘Economy’ class coaches yet.
However, sources tell RailPost that these are essentially the LHB platform version of the Garib Rath ICF coach design. In fact, the Railway Board has also instructed RCF and ICF to dispatch the new LACCN Economy coaches for Garib Rath rake allotments when required.
Media reports have claimed that Indian Railways plans to replace non AC sleeper coaches on all 130 kmph trains with these three-tier ‘AC Economy’ class versions. Some reports have also incorrectly claimed that non-ac sleeper coaches are being redesigned and fitted with ACs. Instead, it is the standard three tier air conditioned LACCN coach that is being redesigned.
This is not a new idea. Lalu Prasad Yadav, Railway Minister between 2004 and 2009, had announced a similar category of trains. Called Garib Rath, this category of trains has done well on most routes.
However, Mamata Banerjee abandoned the concept when she took over in 2009. No new Garib Rath trains were introduced. Instead, a new category of premium Duronto trains were introduced with features similar to Rajdhanis. She also introduced a 3AC Economy class with limited success.
Configuration of the new LACCN Economy / LHB Garib Rath coach
The AC Economy coach is a three-tier, 83 berth configuration. Standard 3 Tier AC LHB coaches have 72 berths.
With the coach length staying the same as the standard version, it is likely that legroom for sitting passengers has been reduced. Width of the lower, middle and upper berths is also likely reduced. Side berths in these coaches are no longer aligned with the compartment housing the transverse lower, middle and upper berths.
The new LHB ACCN Economy coach
These modifications echo changes made to the standard 3 AC ICF coach to produce the Garib Rath version.
Notably, the much-criticized side middle berth found on ICF Garib Rath coaches is absent from the LACCN Economy coach. As a result, the coach will operate with 10 fewer berths than maximum potential.
Several changes to the standard LACCN design have made space for the additional one and a half bays worth 11 additional berths. See table below:
| LHB 3AC | LHB 3AC Economy | |
| Number of Berths | 72 | 83 |
| Transverse Berth Width | 635 mm | 573 mm |
| Leg space between berths | 540 mm | 501 mm |
| Side Berth Length | 1810 mm | 1785 mm |
The standard LACCN coach
The Railway Ministry seeks to replace all old ICF design based coaches with the more modern LHB stock over the next few years.
