RailFanning is a gift you give yourself. - Varun

An interesting article from TOI sharing for you reading:
Indian Railways and why second sleeper non-AC is good for you
Veeresh Malik
11 April 2013, 09:23 AM IST
One thing I know a...
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bit about is air-conditioning, ventilation, and heating systems, we had a lot of this on ships - and how important it is to keep monitoring the air quality achieved therein, especially when it is not a stand-alone wall-mount. Not just cleaning filters. But also ducts. Which, ashore, are more often neglected from date of installation till when they are torn down.
Simply put - if you have ever seen the insides of air-conditioning ducts, and if they have not been cleaned out at least every month if not oftener, then you may never want to sit, sleep or hang around for too long in an air-conditioned room again.
So how is it with trains?
Till today, I have never received a satisfactory response from Indian Railways, top-down to operational staff onboard, on what are the standards for maintenance and cleanliness of air-conditioning ducts on trains. What happens during routine maintenance is anybody's guess. Some trains, like the Rajdhanis, have prioritieis. Some don't, and hopefully they clean atleast the filters. There is usually a man claiming to be an electrician or air-conditioning staff riding with the train, with a pair of pliers and some insulation tape hanging from his belt, and that's it. That is one reason I miss the old non-AC first slass, and also prefer to travel by second sleeper non-AC.
Incidentally, air quality inside accomodation areas on ships, along with quality and safety of drinking water, were amongst the top-most priorities in our little eco-system there. Which is also why you will often find marine engineers in organisations where this is important, like 5-star hotels, and which is why, off-topic, also, you should look at the inherent disadvantages of reserse osmosis derived water, too.
But back to why second class sleeper on some trains and on some sectors in India is a better idea than the air-conditioned and therefore costlier options. Time taken is the same, remember?
One thing I know a bit about is air-conditioning, ventilation, and heating systems, we had a lot of this on ships - and how important it is to keep monitoring the air quality achieved therein, especially when it is not a stand-alone wall-mount. Not just cleaning filters. But also ducts. Which, ashore, are more often neglected from date of installation till when they are torn down.
Simply put - if you have ever seen the insides of air-conditioning ducts, and if they have not been cleaned out at least every month if not oftener, then you may never want to sit, sleep or hang around for too long in an air-conditioned room again.
So how is it with trains?
Till today, I have never received a satisfactory response from Indian Railways, top-down to operational staff onboard, on what are the standards for maintenance and cleanliness of air-conditioning ducts on trains. What happens during routine maintenance is anybody's guess. Some trains, like the Rajdhanis, have prioritieis. Some don't, and hopefully they clean atleast the filters. There is usually a man claiming to be an electrician or air-conditioning staff riding with the train, with a pair of pliers and some insulation tape hanging from his belt, and that's it. That is one reason I miss the old non-AC first slass, and also prefer to travel by second sleeper non-AC.
Incidentally, air quality inside accomodation areas on ships, along with quality and safety of drinking water, were amongst the top-most priorities in our little eco-system there. Which is also why you will often find marine engineers in organisations where this is important, like 5-star hotels, and which is why, off-topic, also, you should look at the inherent disadvantages of reserse osmosis derived water, too.
But back to why second class sleeper on some trains and on some sectors in India is a better idea than the air-conditioned and therefore costlier options. Time taken is the same, remember?
The other reasons are that it is easier to score a lower berth in the Sleeper class, since there are hardly any VIPs blocking them off, as is the case in 1st or 2nd AC. No point paying a minor fortune months in advance, and then finding that an undefined free-rider VIP has parked his red beacon on the lower berth, and you are balancing yourself on the carrier, upper berth. And of course, repeated, the sheer attraction of low cost - pretty much anywhere long-distance in India for around 500-700 rupees. Though ofcourse, there also, service tax is now being levied.
Certainly, not all sleeper class travel is equal, life can be hell on some trains. Especially the slower ones, or those with multiple stops, and in some parts of the country it is best left un-experienced - bad weather, aggressive locals, lousy maintenance, atrocious toilets and more. But on some routes, especially long-haul where the benefits of saving money and increasing life experiences really kick in, Indian Railways sleeper class is brilliant.
One such option are the Sampark Kranti trains, and some of the Duronto class which have sleeper non-AC, type of trains. They have very few commercial stoppages (typically, 3 stops on the Delhi-Mumbai route, or 5-6 stops on the Delhi-Bengaluru route). Their coaches appear to be in better shape. The trains themselves click along at high speeds, over-taking some of the other more famous legacy express trains en route, and because of the lack of commercial stoppages, the crowd on board is not in a constant state of flux.
And most of all, their toilets are cleaned by professionals, at every stop. I travelled on the Karnatak Sampark Kranti Express from Nizamuddion to Nagpur a few days ago, in non-air-con sleeper class, and it was brilliant. For all of 461 rupees and 24 paise, in 15 and a half hours, with people from all walks of life who within about 15 minutes of the train starting its journey, had become good friends sharing food, advice, gossip, prayers and everything else that makes journeys on trains in India so re-energising.
Something like that has been experienced by me also on the Goa Sampark Kranti Express. And the Ernakulum Duronto. And the Maharashtra Sampark Kranti. You get used to the heat after some time, dust is something that gets washed off at the end of the journey, and looking out of darkened coaches at night is the bonus.
For those who enjoy fresh air and nature, nothing beats non-air-conditioned class sleeper travel on good trains, except, ofcourse, when the trains are rolling through urban habitats. Then, oh, the stink. And imagine how much worse it gets then in the air-conditioned coaches?