Have you noticed that train drivers' always seem to be on the left of the cab. It seems odd that we are right-hand drive in this country (UK) yet trains are left hand drive. any answers would be appreciated
2007-08-13 07:56:25 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cars & Transportation ➔ Rail
All above is good info. But, we dinosaurs remember road switchers that had dual controls, so the engineer could stay on the proper (right hand, US) side, when running backwards due to lack of a way to turn the engine around when running back home.
The answer about double track is correct, and when practical, trains do run to the right. But, just because there are two tracks doesn't make it "double track." Though descriptive, double track is actually a means of operation. There is also "multiple main track" where trains run in either direct on any track. The Sierra crossing was mentioned above. Here, there is double track operation, but between Emigrant Gap and Truckee, there are in fact two tracks, but these are within the limits of a mode of operation called an "Interlocking," which is similar to Centralized Traffic Control. Here, the trains run on either track in either direction.
This can get a person killed. Click on my picture and go to my profile page and access my 360 to read a story of exactly how this type of operation contributed to a near fatality, in a RailTail titled "The Thermos," post of 3/25/07.
2007-08-13 17:31:24 · answer #1 · answered by Samurai Hoghead 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most depts send officers to EVOC training. It is in fact intense driving. High speed, accident avoidance and you also learn to drive while doing several things at the same time, with the siren blaring as well. You can get this training by taking a test and getting the job. In addition, years of being a professional driver, does in fact make us better drivers than you. I can drive circles around the average person. I am constantly monitoring traffic, my mirrors etc when driving, even when you may think I am not. I can answer the radio, use the MVT, siren and eat lunch and not have the slightest problem. Its my job. I'm good at it and in the same way I shoot expert, when you can't and can get you to your knees crying for momma with two fingers, I can drive well. The "news media" are not any type of experts. They put out stories they think the masses will like, not becuase they know any better. The Police can do lots of things the average citizen can not, just as I am sure there are things about your job that I would not be good at.
2016-05-17 04:20:43 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It would make sense that the train driver (UK) or engineer (US) should sit on the side of the locomotive where he or she can look back to the conductor or brakeman, who would be standing on the outside of a double track railway.
In the US, we normally have right-hand running (except for some odd locations, such as the Union Pacific's [ex-Southern Pacific] Sierra Nevada where it is double-tracked for advantageous grades.)
Therefore, a conductor or brakeman would be on the ground, throwing a turnout switch and/or giving hand signals to the engineer to reverse, proceed forward, get a sandwich, or whatever. The safest place to stand for someone on the ground is outside the double tracks, which is the right hand side. So that's where the engineer is seated.
The other explanation is that a lot of track signals are also placed outside the railway tracks, so the engineer has full visibility to the signals when seated on the right side of the locomotive. (There are also overhead signal bridges, but a lot of CTC (Centralized Traffic Control) signal stands are on the right side of the tracks.
That's my story and I'm sticking with it.
2007-08-13 14:26:59 · answer #3 · answered by Tom-SJ 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the U.S., it's the opposite (of course). Engineers operate from the right side of the cab. Because of this, I learned recently, most early auto makers (there were several dozen in the U.S. by 1910) also had their drivers sitting on the right side of the car. It was Ford that standardized the auto driver on the left side. From 1914 to 1924, one out of every three cars sold in this country was a Ford. That was enough to influence all auto makers to convert to the left side.
2007-08-13 13:19:32 · answer #4 · answered by Derail 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know why, but it's the same (actually, the double opposite) here in the states--cars steer from the left side and subway trains steer from the right.
2007-08-13 08:01:59 · answer #5 · answered by wayfaroutthere 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It seems that telling a Brit about which side they should be driving on offends them terribly, so it may be a waste of time.
2007-08-13 08:05:05 · answer #6 · answered by harryb 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's so they can get a better view of the embankments etc.
2007-08-13 22:13:02 · answer #7 · answered by kendavi 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
to see the people on the platform.
easy one.
2007-08-13 08:04:04 · answer #8 · answered by Michael M 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋