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.