LHB coaches give new look to Bengaluru Cantt SF Express

Passengers, travelling by train No.12845 Bhubaneswar – Bengaluru Cantt Super Fast Express, were in for a pleasant surprise when the train chugged onto Platform-4 in Visakhapatnam Junction on Sunday.

The train, which was earlier having ordinary coaches, sported brand new LHB coaches for the first time.

Though there was no official announcement from the East Coast Railway (ECoR) on the replacement of ICF coaches with LHB coaches, the ‘indiarailinfo.com’ website mentions that 12845/46 SF Express will run with LHB rakes with effect from April 15, 2018 from Bhubaneswar and from April 17 from Bengaluru.

The revised coach composition has been given as one AC 2-tier, four AC 3-tier coaches, 11 second class sleeper, three general second class coaches, one pantry car and two luggage-cum-brake van with generator.

It’s no surprise that the new coaches left many puzzled. This, coming barely three weeks after ECoR dismissed reports, which had appeared in a section of the press, that LHB coaches meant for Samata Express were hijacked as ‘false’, is leading to further speculation among passengers.

Highest in ECoR

On March 21, Coaching Depot, Puri, wrote on Facebook: Finally, we got 33 new built LHB coaches to update Purusottam express.

With this addition, Coaching Depot, Puri, is having more than 180 LHB coaches, highest in East Coast Railway.

“These coaches replace the old coaches, which are in 12801 rake due to heavy passenger complaint.” It also noted: “Train No. 22827/28 Puri – Surat, 18419/20 Puri-Jayanagar is under process.”

Passengers from Visakhapatnam region took to Twitter to lambaste ECoR for failing to allot LHB coaches to trains originating from Vizag. “Visakhapatnam – Quilon Special ran with three SL coaches n rest sitting coaches. People request to increase sleeper coaches as it was having more than 100 W/L but railways didn’t augment one extra SL coach, 29 hours travel, with sitting is horrible.” Another passenger noted: “What about @VisakhapatnamJn. At least we should get few LHB coaches from ECoR side. Why are we not getting? Are allotments not at all done or are they being diverted? There will be no smoke without fire.”

ECoR General Manager Umesh Singh, during his visits to Visakhapatnam in the past, attributed the delay in the launch of the Uday Express to Vijayawada and the Visakhapatnam – Varanasi Express, to the shortage of rakes.