Q. What are the dimensions of IR's passenger coaching stock?
Length
The IRS standard underframe for BG, adopted in 1925, was 68' long over headstocks. Side buffers are always 2' 2", giving a total length of 72'4" (22m) over buffers. After World War II, some stock was built on this underframe to 70' (21.3m) length, but most before that date was 68' or a fraction over. The ICF integral stock, and the similar all-steel stock built by Jessops and HAL/BEML was all to 70' (21.3m) length. BG EMU coaches are slightly shorter, at...
more... 66' or 18.2m.
Width
Up to the adoption of the new wider dimensions in the late 1940s, all IR stock was built to a maximum body width of 10' (3m), with an absolute maximum of 10' 6" to allow for projections. The new dimensions, which apply to nearly all modern steel stock, are 10'8" (3.25m) body width, with a tiny allowance for projections (about 2 inches) and requires all handrails and similar projections to be recessed. See the 1971 standards for rolling stock dimensions and also the older, 1929 standards for rolling stock dimensions.
Height
The height from rail level to cantrail before the 1940s was standardized at 11' 2-1/2"; it became 11'6" maximum. The first series of ICF coaches, with the centre lavatories, were 12'9" from rail level to rooftop; later this dimension was increased to 4025mm (13'2-1/2"), to provide increased space for water tanks.
Comparison of ICF and LHB coaching stock -- Dimensions
ICF coaches LHB coaches
Length over Body 21.77m 23.54m
Length over Buffers 22.28m 24.70m
Width of Body 3.245m 3.240m
Inside width 3.065m 3.120m
Windows 1.220m x 0.610m 1.180m x 0.760m
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Source:IRFCA