Left handed but for Aurora, from the 1886 Railroad Gazette -
There is now being constructed in the locomotive shops a “left-handed
” switch engine. This may seem a trifle strange to most people, yet such
is the case. It is made after the style of the five new switch engines recently
made here, but instead of the engineer sitting in his usual place on the right
hand side of the cab, the situation will be reversed and he will occupy the
left hand or fireman's side. The engine is for use in the upper end of the
Aurora yard, where the tracks curve so that the signals are obliged to be given
on the left-hand side of the engine. As it is now with an ordinary engine, the
fireman is obliged to receive the switchman's signals and transmit them to the
engineer, thus making delay and liability to accident. With the new engine the
engineer can take the signals himself and thus be responsible for a correct
understanding of them.
Rupert Gamlen
Auckland NZ
Some of you
guys already know this, but the Q had one or more "left hand drive"
steam engines which were used exclusively in the Lumber District.