Why is it on the right side?
Jen
Jen, often wondered that myself, I’ve had two boats, and the steering
and controls are also on the right side. jackflash
blame it on the Brits. I think they started it
marty
I’d hate to have it on the wrong side!
(The tradition has been there since before the Civil War. Maybe it has to do with handing up train orders in multiple-track territory? I honestly don’t know.)
I am not absolutely sure but most track signs (whistle posts, mile posts) and signals are on the right side of the track.
pfrench - so which came first - the signs or the seat?
Gets complicated doesn’t it!
Jen
I just assumed Bayliner knew that I liked to hold my cold bevy in my left hand. [:D]
The Brit’s are on the left side. Their double track runs opposite, too. Only a few US roads ran left hand; C&NW comes to mind, but their engineers were also on right side. On B&O we had rules about sitting on left side when trains were passing on double track. If both trains are running the limit, that’s a combined 110 mph! Things happen FAST! I knew a guy whose upper torso was taken off by a crane boom which had swung around. (It tore the whole side of the cab off.) We are supposed to get up and stand over near the center of the cab or engineer’s side. If the engine is running backwards, the hoghead needs to stay in his post and pay attention. That may have something to do with it.
Some older NS/N&W power had control stands on both sides(?)
awfully expensive cabs!
they couldn’t decide witch way to go. LOL
hey mudchicken, do you work at the UP yard in Denver???
Not on a daily basis, but several times a month we have something going around North Yard or Utah Jcn. Not so often at the old UP Yard at Pullman Jcn or the little yards on the KP out east.
I may have the answer to that question.
In this country we drive on the right side of the road. Even as far back as horse and buggy days. We probably walked on the right side when there were only paths.
It makes sense that the engineer would be on the right side of the engine because the station is on the right side of the tracks.
It wouldn’t be on the left side between the tracks in double track territory.
Now after I’ve said this we’ll hear from an expert and we’ll all know the truthlol
Sooblue
[:D]Was sitting on my fingers, waiting for someone to get it. The reason our automobile steering wheels are on the left side?
Come on, you know this one. Think Brits driving on the left, with steering wheels on the right. Same reason 18 wheeler trailers have a sign on the back that says “this truck makes wide right turns” Why not wide left turns also?[:0]
Stay Frosty,
Ed
It is the middle of the week, I am leaning more towards the brain of an acorn and I am just not getting this!
Let me put my reasoning ability out there so you will understand. When I am in a car and going north and the sun is shining on my right arm on the window, I said out loud that it was ok, cuz on the way back I would have the sun on my left arm. Now you see why I am struggling with this.
If you are in an engine going north - and it is on a single track - and the station is on the right side - I follow up to there. But on your return trip, you will be going south (duh) and the station will be on the left - AWAY from the engineer. (I know, the station master would cross the tracks and wait on that side for the engine.) But that still doesn’t tell me why the right side.
Wide turns to the left - in our country - would not need to be noted, because the truck will always make a wide turn. Got that!
Our steering wheels on the left and we drive on the right, probably more to tick off the Briti***han anything, but also because you can see better. What’s not to see on either side of an engine.
On a double track, however, I can see the reasoning as someone stated above. For safety, I would prefer to be as far away from an on-coming train as possible. BUT in the old days, I doubt they had much double track - only single.
And lastly - “Host of the Mookie Challenge” - am I going to get that locomotive if I win by stumping the panel?
Jen
Darn you Jen…twenty years in the seat and it never occured to me as to why it was on the right!
In Chicago, suburban trains use a cab-car (passenger coach with controls up front) as the toward-Chicago-most car in the train. Even in those, the controls were built so the right-side was the control side. This made our operations on the CNW a bit more difficult, as all our stations are on the left side of the double-track. So from the engineer’s seat we could not see what was happening on the station platforms.
As to why the CNW had its operations on the left side of its double-track, I have heard lots of theories, ranging from “because the stations were on the left” to “because cnw was originally owned by those of the British persuasion”.
The truth is out there somewhere!
ok - the acorn has it figured out! It is safer to sit on the right side, cuz the fireman always sat on the left side and now there are no more firemen! Wonder where the brakemen sat, cuz their gone too!
Off this ponder a new question!
Jen
Why is it on the right side?
Jen
Jen, often wondered that myself, I’ve had two boats, and the steering
and controls are also on the right side. jackflash
blame it on the Brits. I think they started it
marty
I’d hate to have it on the wrong side!
(The tradition has been there since before the Civil War. Maybe it has to do with handing up train orders in multiple-track territory? I honestly don’t know.)