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.