[steven_ber]

EDITED to add.....

Please have a look at the diagrams in post 9 and see if you can understand them using the description diagram in post 8.

Hello all

I've done 11 different diagrams to show the seat/berth layouts in train carriages

Have a look at the following diagram of a Garib Rath carriage (3A).



All my diagrams are similar to the left side of the above diagram, all the numbers are in black, the problem with that layout is the explanations needed to show what numbers are upper berths, side lower berths, window seats and so on.

The different coloured numbers in the right side of the diagram make the explanations easy (Green = Side lower berth at night and window seat during the day and so on...).

However, changing the colours and getting them all level is very hard work and time consuming.

I don't mind the extra work to change the colours, and I think the diagrams will look better with the colours, but a big part of me is saying that the improvements are not worth the extra time involved.

So, over to you wonderful indiamikers.

Do you think the improvements will be worthwhile, or would the plain diagrams be good enough?

Many thanks.

EDITED to add...........

Wow, the colours have not come out anywhere near as clear as they are on my laptop, and that's a big problem, I need 6 clearly different colours, and I don't seem to have them, I think I'm going to be having words with my digital editor.

OK, back to the drawing board.

[rajered]

The plain diagrams are good enough. What could be done is a note indicating that the number near the bottom line is the window seat / lower beth, the number next to it is the middle seat / berth and the number next to it is the aisle seat / upper berth or something like that.

[steven_ber]

Originally Posted by rajered

What could be done is a note indicating that the number near the bottom line is the window seat / lower beth, the number next to it is the middle seat / berth and the number next to it is the aisle seat / upper berth or something like that.

That's what I plan to do, but with 11 different diagrams I'll likely need 11 different sets of explanations, the colours would have allowed a single set of explanations.

Thanks for looking it over and replying.

[rajered]

Most of the trains normally have the same layout, except the Garib Rath. There may a difference in the number of seats depending on the class. So a guideline should do, that's what I feel.

[steven_ber]

Originally Posted by rajered

Most of the trains normally have the same layout, except the Garib Rath. There may a difference in the number of seats depending on the class. So a guideline should do, that's what I feel.

I agree, and I find it very simple working out my berth just from the ticket, but I often wonder if that's just experience, and I always try to remember how I felt when I didn't know anything about the trains.

Here's how I work it out.....


How many berths in a section? (6 in 2A, 8 in 3A & SL)

1 is window and lower, then move up through the numbers in the section (in 3A, 2 = middle seat & middle berth), always works for me.

I'll try to think of an easy way to explain it, but 1A/2A combination carriages, and CC and 2S carriages throw a few spanners in the works, then there's the Garib Rath....

[rajered]

Would something like this help

Guidelines for seat/berth carriage layout
Sleeper Class (SL)
8 seats (Total seats and berth 72)
1 is window seat and lower berth
2 is middle seat and middle berth
3 is aisle seat and upper berth
and so on

AC 3 Tier (3A)
8 seats (Total seats and berth 72)
1 is window seat and lower berth
2 is middle seat and middle berth
3 is aisle seat and upper berth
and so on

AC 3 Tier (2A)
6 seats (Total seat and berth 54)
1 is window seat and lower berth
2 is aisle seat and upper berth
and so on

[OceanTragic]

Do the numbers themselves have to be coloured?

Couldn't you just leave them black and put a coloured circle around them, or maybe a coloured dot next to the number?

[steven_ber]

Originally Posted by OceanTragic

Do the numbers themselves have to be coloured?

Couldn't you just leave them black and put a coloured circle around them, or maybe a coloured dot next to the number?

I tried them both, and it didn't work.

However, I've been working on something a green cowboy suggested, what does the following look like?

(it's a made-up carriage trying to include everything in the other diagrams)

[steven_ber]

Somebody, anybody.....

Does the description diagram in the last post make it easy to understand the following diagrams?

1A/2A combination carriage.



1st class (not air con)



3A (Garib Rath)



Sleeper Class



R

[OceanTragic]

Originally Posted by steven_ber

I tried them both, and it didn't work.

Gotta say that the cyan circles in the diagram worked well for me . But I can see that it may look quite overkill if they all had circles around them

I think the explanation text seems fine: I understand it and I've only been on four trains.

(Not sure how you'll cope with one of the trains I went on from Jaipr to Alwar where each seat had a number plaque on it and a different hand written number against it too. was very confusing although luckily it wasn't full so we just sat where we fancied.)

[steven_ber]

Thanks for the comments.

Originally Posted by OceanTragic

(Not sure how you'll cope with one of the trains I went on from Jaipr to Alwar where each seat had a number plaque on it and a different hand written number against it too. was very confusing although luckily it wasn't full so we just sat where we fancied.)

Was that Sleeper Class (not air con), or maybe 3-tier air con?

A similar confusion awaits many passengers until they finally sort out the side middle berth problem.

The computer couldn't handle the new seating arrangement for carriages with side middle berths, so on some trains, there's be extra berths on trains (this helped to reduce waitlists), but all the numbers would be different, so everyone had to move around.

Then when they finally did get the computer to accept the extra berths, Indian Railways decided to get rid of the side middle berths, and this only confused the matter more.

[OceanTragic]

Originally Posted by steven_ber

Was that Sleeper Class (not air con), or maybe 3-tier air con?

It was a 3AC from Jaipur to Alwar (5716 GARIB NAWAJ EXP) which had side middle berths.

[steven_ber]

Can a few more people have a look at the diagrams in post 9 and see if you can understand them using the description diagram in post 8?

Thanks, I wan't to change anything that needs changing before doing an article about the seat/berth layouts.

[gaurav1441]

This Diagram is for a 3 tiered Ac Coach having three tiers in side as well. But these coaches are now being phased out. When I had recetnly travelled in Garib Rath. All the normal coaches had only two side berths and only the Extra Coaches had the three side berths.

[Haylo]

The thicker coloured lines for the doors looked fine on both my PC and netbook, but on my work laptop they're nowhere near as distinct. Anyone else have trouble making them out? It might just be my failing eyesight!