I used to travel in this train almost a decade ago. I do not even remember whether catering was available, THEN. Now, that IRI mentions that catering is available, I would like to know when going from SBC to BGM / MRJ / KOP is catering available after UBL?

I am asking this as I had a very BAD experience perhaps somewhere in between 1998 - 2000 - I was travelling from SBC to BGM and the journey upto DWR was as usual, but once our train crossed Alnavar (LWR)...
more...

we had too many un-scheduled stoppages midway on the tracks in 'thick n dense' Dandeli Forests - Somehow the train reached NAGARGALI station. And it never moved further from there until I was there. The reason - a goods train that was just ahead of our train had derailed ahead of NAG. At this single platform stn, we had nothing to eat. Just a small tea shop outside the stn. We helplessly waited for more than 3 hours at this station. However, some locals made some hot UPMA / UPPIT and OGGARANE AVVALAKKI (Puffed rice dish) and sold to helpless and hungry passengers. The IR authorities then arranged 3 to 4 KSRTC buses from Dharwad Depot that arrived by around 12 noon and we were ferried to BGM - I was happy to reach BGM at 2 p.m. and passengers who were bound further were arranged accommodation in a spl train from BGM to Miraj.
I am strongly making this a point that when this train reaches UBL, its too early in the morning and most of the passengers are either asleep or do not bother to have anything more than a cup of tea/coffee at UBL, though hot and tasty IDLYs and WADAs are available at UBL from 5 a.m. itself. Further, after LWR, its thick forest, and forest and forest and nothing else upto Khanapur.
So my suggestion - carry some packed snacks (biscuits/cakes/wafers/wafer-biscuits etc) and at least a few liters of drinking water as a contingency measure - especially if you are travelling with kids. Alternately, make sure you are awake when train reaches UBL and then get some IDLY / WADAs as parcel. Its always best to have these contingency plans for food / water ready before starting your journey.
And last thought - Most of us, now-a-days carry less cash while travelling in trains for various reasons - one of them being - ATMs are available at stations - but its good to have some cash handy in emergencies when one is stuck in between two big stations - where there is nothing available and then imagine that you had to make quite a distance by hiring some vehicle locally to reach nearest ATM - this helps.

TRAVEL SAFE - PLAN for CONTINGENCY - Pantry/catering available or not - Carry enough food and water.