Q. How are passenger coaches and coaching stock in general classified by IR?
Coaching stock in general is divided into two categories, Passenger Coaching Vehicles (PCV) (sometimes 'Passenger Carrying Vehicles') which are coaches that carry passengers, and Other Coaching Vehicles (OCV), which include service coaches such as pantry cars, parcel vans, mail vans, etc.
Coaching stock is classified using the codes shown below. Note that these codes are according to the structural features and used for rolling stock management. Separate codes are used for indicating the types of accommodations available in PCV coaches...
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for ticketing and reservation purposes, etc. Those coach designations and class indications are explained in the section on travel.
Prefixes
W : (prefix) Vestibuled
Y : (prefix) Suburban
G : Self-generating (lighting by axle generators) (omitted)
E : 4-wheeled stock
L : (prefix) LHB coaches
The 'W' prefix for BG is omitted in many cases (e.g., the new LHB coaches) since almost all new stock is now BG. The 'G' code to indicate a self-generating coach is omitted for the new LHB coaches, which get a '/SG' suffix. It is also omitted in other cases.
Classes of accomodation
F : First Class
S : Second Class
T : Third Class (obsolete)
M : Military
Type of coach
CN : 3-tier sleeper coach
CW : 2-tier sleeper coach
CZ : Chair car
CD : Dining Car
CB : Pantry/kitchen car/buffet car
CL : Kitchen car
CR : State saloon
CT : Tourist car (first class) (includes bathrooms, kitchen, and sitting and sleeping compartments)
CTS : Tourist car (second class) (includes bathrooms, kitchen, and sitting and sleeping compartments)
C : (except as above) With Coupe
D : Double-decker (?)
Y : (not as prefix) With Ladies' compartment (usually 6-berth compartment with locking door)
AC : Air-conditioned
Parcel vans, etc.
L : Luggage van or luggage cubicle (suburban: motorman's cabin + luggage space)
R : Brake van / guard van
RA : Inspection carriage (administrative)
RB : Inspection carriage (divisional officers), also Rail Bus
RC : Inspection carriage (?)
D : (suburban) Motorman's cabin (EMU/DMU)
EN : Power supplied by end-on generator
V : Brake van, ordinary goods
VM : Brake van, medium goods
VH : Brake van, heavy goods
VP : Parcel van (8-wheeled)
VPH : High-capacity parcel van
VPAC : Air-cooled parcel van
VK : Motor van (8-wheeled)
VPU : Parcel van / motor car carrier composite (old, 8-wheeled))
VF : Fruit van
VE : Fish van
VG : Poultry van
VR : Refrigerated parcel / fish van
VV : Milk van
BV : Brake van (also BVG : brake van, goods; BVZI : extra-long brake van)
Postal facilities
PP : Postal Car (RMS/mail van)
PPS : Full postal van
PPT : Three-quarter postal van
PPH : Half postal van
PPQ : Quarter postal van
P : Full postal unit: RMS coach -- mail carried, letters can be posted on the train (less common now -- see PP codes above)
See the section on train services for more on RMS and postal vans. Newer full postal vans have arrangements for some mail sorting, package sealing, etc.
Miscellaneous, less common codes
A : Articulated coach
D : Vendor's compartment (non-suburban)
FF : Upper class (obsolete)
HH : Horse box (rare)
J : Ice compartment
JJ : Refrigerator compartment
K : Kitchen (obsolete)
LL : Combined Luggage van and Lavatory (rare)
M : (suffix) Equipped with generator
N : Self-generating with diesel generator
N : Non-vegetarian restaurant car (pre-1960's)
Q : Attendants' compartment
R : Restaurant, western style (pre-1960's)
RQ : Staff van (training van)
RR : (in combination) End-on Generator car for Rajdhanis, etc.
RR : (by itself) Train crew rest van
RZ : (by itself) Track recording car
RU : (by itself) OHE inspection car
S : Food stall on train (pre-1960's), also Special
U : Kitchen car
V : Vegetarian restaurant car (pre-1960's)
W : Waiting Room (pre-1960's)
ZZ : Self-powered: EMU, DMU, or Steam or Motor Rail car
LHB Coach suffixes
/SG : Self-generating
/EOG : Non-self-generating, requiring EOG for hotel power.
Codes may be aggregated to indicate composite coaches, E.g. FCS is a composite coach with first-class with coupe (FC) and second-class (S). For suburban EMU stock, YSYL indicates a composite second-class coach (YS) and a motorman's cabin / luggage coach (YL).