Why did the Chicago and North Western Railway Run Left-Handed?

[@davidzachmeyer1957]

Real reason was so engineers could high-five during a meet.

[@redfoxblacksocks]

Yup. It's good for morale.

[@Westerner78]

Or get hit by a sifted load on the other main passing a train. I had wood come through the unit window once and a door on a auto rack hit my unit from a passing train. Mainlines are too close.

[@Westerner78]

@@redfoxblacksocks Which was lacking on the Cheap and Nothing Works. Everyday they were out to fire you. You were short of equipment that worked and your pay would be shorted too most of the time.

[@billiebobbienorton2556]

@@Westerner78 Jeeze, cranky much?!?!?

[@Westerner78]

@@billiebobbienorton2556 Just the facts

[@albundy8139]

My Grandfather worked for Chicago and Northwestern Railroad from the 50's until the mid 60's when he retired due to an injury. He was an Electrical Shop Foreman and one smart guy. Growing up he always had cool railroad related stories and pamphlets around, thank you for the information, brings back good memories.

[@bigshouldersrails1318]

Thanks for the comment, glad you enjoyed the video! That’s awesome you got to hear some stories firsthand. I don’t have any railroaders in my family, but since I grew up in a town which the CNW passed through I got curious about its history and did some digging. There sure are a lot of great stories floating around out there!

[@uhlijohn]

I worked for the CNW, then the UP for 39.5 years.....I loved that job. I was a Chicago Freight Terminal engineer for 39 of those years. Wish I was still working on the RR!

[@albundy8139]

@@uhlijohn That's awesome John, I bet you have some great stories to tell!

[@bunky060171]

My dad worked on 'Charlie Northwestern' when he was just out of high school (1950-1952) out if the small Charles City Shops mostly road maint crew. Didn't realize their takeover by UP was that long ago (1994). Time's fun when you are having flies.

[@Westerner78]

It of course was his fault. On the North Western. Hurting your self was a violation of the rules. You were fired as soon as you did it. For violation of the safety rules. If you get hurt at work you shut up about it. Or said you did it at home. Getting hurt was not allowed period!

[@MauserKar98k]

Very interesting to hear the origin of this! This phenomenon burned me once as I was trying to catch the Metra home one winter's night. As the train approached, I realized that I was on the wrong platform, that it was running left! Sure enough, I had just enough time to run around to the other side of the platform to see the train slide away from me. Fortunately, my GF, now Fiancè drove down and drove me home. That's how I knew she was a keeper. 😉

[@bigshouldersrails1318]

To everyone watching - thank you! I had no idea this video would get as big as it did. I slapped this together in an evening and didn't think much else of it. That also means I wasn't very meticulous about my wording, leading some folks confused as to what is meant by "left-handed." I'm going to clarify this once and for all. Think about roads in the United States. In the direction of travel, Americans drive on the right side of the road, making our roads "right-handed." Trains in the United States mainly operate the same way, running "right-handed." The Chicago and North Western Railway was unique in that its system was mainly "left-handed," where in the direction of travel, trains ran on the left side of the tracks, assuming double tracks or more. Hopefully this clears up any confusion!

[@billiebobbienorton2556]

Thank you! ! ! I wasn't exactly sure what that meant .

[@millomweb]

A bit like the rest of the world then. Trust some of the USA to break from the norm !

[@stevenkramer6217]

At a glance, I honestly thought that they had a cab setup in which the throttle was set up for left handed people. But then the throttle is always operated with the left hand in control stands.

[@HSMiyamoto]

I always wanted to hear a definitive answer on that mystery. North County Transit District's Coaster commuter rail system and Amtrak runs left-handed between Oceanside and San Diego. The reason is similar to that on the former CNW. At Carlsbad Poinsettia, and Solana Beach, points where the train stops along a passing siding, the station is on the east side of the track, so running left handed reduces the number of times that a tardy passenger will be tempted to cross in front of a San Diego-bound train in the morning. Both stations now feature a passenger bridge or tunnel now. However, although passengers are only allowed to cross live railroad tracks north of San Diego Old Town station at Sorrento Valley, a largely destination station in the morning, , left hand running will probably continue indefinitely.

[@bigshouldersrails1318]

Glad I could give some good information on the topic! It’s always interesting to hear other instances where left-handed running occurred in the US. Thanks for the info!

[@Westerner78]

Hard to believe in the 1970's that route had two round trips a day and was to be abandoned by the Federal Government! The state took it over and did a great job improving it. Now for Phoenix, Des Moines and Fort Wayne! And keep the rising ocean from washing the coast line 1880 rail routes away.

[@erict5234]

The CNW and the Santa Fe (predecessor to coaster service) shared many similarities, like left handed train running and ATS signal systems!

[@m.r.3510]

Worked 26 years on the C&NW, has a yard clerk/operator. With the C&NW - UP RR merger in March 16 1995, finished my railroad career with the Union Pacific. (41 years ttl). Thanks for the video.

[@bigshouldersrails1318]

Thank you for your comment, glad you enjoyed the video!

[@Westerner78]

It was a take over not a merger.

[@WAL_DC-6B]

As a former C&NW employee, thanks for setting the record straight on the Chicago & North Western's running left-handed in double track or more territory. I don't know how many people over the years would tell me that it was "British investors" in the early years of the railroad that explained this unusual train operation in the United States. By the way, the words "North" and "Western" are two separate words when used in the title of this railroad company.

[@bigshouldersrails1318]

Thank you for your comment, glad I did the topic justice! As for the name, I changed it where I could. As a native of the Chicagoland region, I usually think of “Northwestern” as a single word due to the university. I’ll keep that in mind when I make videos of the CNW in the future.

[@TheLewistownTrainspotter8102]

When the Union Pacific acquired the C&NW, a lot of the C&NW freight lines actually did see conversion to bidirectional running.

[@WAL_DC-6B]

@@TheLewistownTrainspotter8102 This is true especially between, I believe, Decorah and Missouri Valley, IA where the UP had reinstalled the second mainline track that the C&NW had torn up years earlier.

[@cr10001]

I'm pretty sure 'British investors' - had there been any - wouldn't care which side it ran on. Even if some of them had wanted the C&NW to buy British equipment - (which I think would have been a bit late in the piece, obviously a few of the earliest US railroads used British equipment but I doubt they still did by the time the C&NW got going) - the trains don't care which side they run on either.

[@beeble2003]

@@cr10001 Actually, the trains do care, just like cars care. If you're running on the left, you want the engineer on the left side of the locomotive so he has better sight of lineside signals, especially in a steam locomotive or when running long hood forward. Conversely, if you drive on the left side of the road, you want the driver on the right for better sighting of oncoming traffic. Now, it's not hard to build locomotives and cars with the controls on the opposite side, but it does add a little expense. Of course, you can run a locomotive or car wrong-side. It's a bit awkward but it works fine. I agree this woudln't have been a reason for British investors to care, or a significant impediment to buying British equipment. The UK had a huge export business in steam locomotives so supplying right-handed locomotives to the C&NW would have been no issue at all. So, yeah, the whole "British investors" story is clearly wrong.

[@-HDK-]

Santa Fe ran lefthanded between Winslow, AZ and Belen, NM, and BNSF continues to do so; they also added a flyover on an adjoining sub to further run LH.

[@tommythomason6187]

The Metra paint scheme is a nice one. Even makes those boxy F40PHs look good.

[@bigshouldersrails1318]

It sure is a nice scheme!

[@Westerner78]

And for railfans that is the only thing that counts.

[@CentralPennRailProductions]

Good video and culmination of historic visuals.

[@bigshouldersrails1318]

Thank you for your comment! Glad you liked the video

[@Polaris5664]

So interesting! I also loved the mechanical bell on the nose of some Chicago and Northwestern Locos!

[@bigshouldersrails1318]

The “gong bells” are really cool! You can still hear them on Chicago South Shore and South Bend single level passenger trains

[@Polaris5664]

@@bigshouldersrails1318 I live only a few hours from Chicago, Ill definatley look into it!

[@Westerner78]

Violation of Iowa law, but the state did not enforce it.

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

FANTASTIC video!

[@nsholk]

What a great topic. I’m subscribed! Keep up the great work.

[@scottconcertman3423]

So i love the new CNW engine's brite Yellow paint job. Did not see what was pushing us inbound from West Chicago until getting off at Oak Park. _Wow, go Employee Owned!_

[@Westerner78]

it really was management owned the working people most of them could not afford the stock. It was $5,000 in 1973 money CASH! When that was alot of money! No one wanted it at the start.

[@roberthuron9160]

As an addendum; The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern,[NYC- lines West],ran left handed,but when absorbed into the NYC,was changed to right hand! That operation also started as single track,and later double,then 4 track,and now,back to double! Lots of change in 150 years!! 🚂🚂🚂🚂🚄🚅🚆🚇🚉🚈

[@railsofthenorthland1181]

Duluth Missabe and Iron Range + Northshore Mining were both southpaw railroads just like the Northwestern.

[@ebnertra0004]

I was going to say...only left-handed line?

[@Railfan124]

I live near a former CNW line [CNW/UP NW] and i have seen them running left handed all the time

[@iatif1995]

The C&NW Actually used to run through my backyard like 50 years ago until somewhere in the late 1960s it was ripped up and now it's just grass.

[@bigshouldersrails1318]

That’s wild! Was your house built before or after the track was torn up?

[@iatif1995]

My house is actually 150 years old so probably. Only my dad and grandparents know about this since they lived also on the trackage. I don't know alot since I'm only 12.

[@Westerner78]

Victim of unlimited highway and airport building , bailouts and government programs that don't benefit rail. Except in a very few places for super rich commuters. And people from the city that clean their houses and watch their kids while there at work in the city.

[@emu5088]

Interesting. I am more familiar with the Metra UP lines, so I thought running left-handed was the norm until I started riding other Metra lines. Moreover, I thought left-handed was the nom since the engineer is on the right side of the locomotive. (Analogous to driver-side and driving side in the UK vs USA). Great video!

[@johnstone7697]

All the stations on the UP North line, which is right by my house, are set up for left hand running. Many of these stations date back to the early 20th century, and are on the National Register of Historic Places. So, the system has been this way for a very long time.

[@Charmaster04]

@bigshouldersrails1318 Thanks for this video! Now that I know why the Chicago North Western ran left-handed, I'm curious why other there weren't many other railroads who ended up doing the same. Surely other railroads built their stations on the left-hand side of the track. Did they mostly opt to rebuild or move their station buildings/platforms/track?

[@SteveH-TN]

Thanks for sharing this informative video

[@garlandward4372]

Very neat video, well done.

[@bryanphillips6666]

A little footage of the Mid-Continent Railway Museum's former Chicago and North Western Railroad R1 class 10 wheeler the 1385, thank you

[@ardenkwong9153]

G&CU placed all its stations on the 'north side' of the original single track. With the cold north wind (which originates in the north and blows in a southward direction) blowing down from Canada and the Great Lakes, would waiting passengers be "better sheltered from wind and wind chill" with the stations on the north side or on the south side or doesn't matter? Have you ever stood in a midwest winter wind with a building in front of you? Have you done the same with the same building behind you? Which kept you warmer? And did the G&CU figure 'that one' out?

[@mpetersen6]

And here I thought it was British influence. And right now I'm sitting about 5 blocks east of the old North Shore right-of-way and about 10 blocks west of the C&NW's formerly double tracked mainline north from Kenosha along Lake Michigan. The UP tore up the second track maybe ten years ago. 15 years ago there was an effort to establish light rail service between Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha (1). As I always tell opponents of light rail. Every passenger on the rails means at least one less car on the expressway. The real crime when the North Shore ended operations was that the right of way was cut up in places. Being interested in MRRing one subject I have thought to model is portions of the old KD Line. 1) Still the northern terminus of the Metra Lakeshore route. Every morning there are multiple trains staged North of the Kenosha station in readiness for the morning runs. The only problem is there is no expresses. You stop at every single station heading into Chicago.

[@thetrainhopper8992]

Cheap and Nothing Wasted was probably the best thing I learned about the CNW while doing my own research.

[@bigshouldersrails1318]

The CNW was definitely one of the thriftier railroads of the past century. The funniest example is when they bought old Norfolk and Western boxcars and painted a C in addition to the NW and changed nothing else 😂

[@thetrainhopper8992]

@@bigshouldersrails1318 I'm not surprised they would do something that cheap. I also know they had a habit of buying up struggling competitors to put them out of their misery or buying up bits of other railroads to reduce competition. Like with how they bought up the Rock Island route between Des Moines and St Paul just to keep someone else from getting it. I know the SP was also pretty cheap. The did use Automats just to save on food service, even on the Sunset Limited.

[@jbw53191]

I did not know this and almost missed a train the first time I took this Metra line. It was not clearly marked at the station and was really confusing!

[@EinBahnfan]

Very interesting video! Did I get that right: not all Metra lines run on the left hand side? But which ones?

[@bigshouldersrails1318]

You did get that right! All of Union Pacific's Metra lines run left handed, as these were former CNW right of ways. The rest of Metra's lines run right handed.

[@jamesf791]

Someone had told me that the reason was because the original owner was from England. I never believed it, because it didn't make much sense. But being cheap makes way more sense.

[@bigshouldersrails1318]

Always follow the money!

[@oldcodyjr]

My first 14 years were in towns in suburbs of Chicago serviced by C&NW RR.

[@Pensyfan19]

Very good video on this unique fact. Just subbed!

[@bigshouldersrails1318]

Thank you for your comment and sub! Glad you liked the video

[@kevinhoward9593]

Its kind of like why Southern Pacific train number are backwards in California. Even Number trains run southbound not northbound.

[@bigshouldersrails1318]

Never head of that fact, I’ll have to look into it!

[@andrewheld2475]

SP ran 'WEST' to San Francisco (headquarters) and 'EAST' away from San Francisco... they never ran NORTH or SOUTH. Westbound trains were odd numbered... eastbound were even. This meant a geographically headed southbound train from Portland to SF would've been a WESTBOUND odd numbered train, just as a geographically headed northbound train from LA to SF would also be labeled a WESTBOUND, also with an odd number. This held true whether in California or elsewhere... toward SF was always WESTBOUND. Interestingly, it's why today's Coast Starlight is numbered 11 and 14, rather than 11 and 12.

[@kevinhoward9593]

@@andrewheld2475 im thinking of Santa Fe.

[@brianburns7211]

@@andrewheld2475 It’s similar to the Boston and Maine not using North, South, East, or West, but Inbound and Outbound. Any train heading away from Boston was outbound, and toward Boston was inbound.

[@millomweb]

@@bigshouldersrails1318 "train numbers" - now there's a novelty ! Nothing like that in the UK - only reference to a tran and a number is the time it leaves the station !

[@johnd8892]

Interesting sensible reason for left hand running. I believe the official title is the Chicago and North Western Railway. One of numerous US rail operations to use the term Railway, yet I do not see the term in any of the comments or description. Intriguing.

[@bigshouldersrails1318]

You are correct! Railroad is the term used most commonly to describe a system of rails and trains in the United States, but the CNW was officially called a railway. Thanks for the heads-up! I'll make a few tweaks where I can.

[@johnd8892]

@@bigshouldersrails1318 I see the change in title already. Hope it does not cause agruments with those who have always used the wrong title. Illinois Railway museum uses the term also, but I will just check some very big rail systems that use Railway and may surprise you. Even their current legal title.

[@bigshouldersrails1318]

I think the change in title should be fine - if I'm making a video on the history of the CNW, I should get my facts straight! It is interesting to see what carriers use the term railway - it's not very common here, but is still present.

[@Greatdome99]

'Railroad' is the preferred American term ('Railway' in the British Commonwealth). As RRs emerged from various bankruptcies, they had to change their name, and the easiest way was to change from Railroad to Railway. Others used 'Railway' from the get-go since they were bankrolled by the Brits.

[@popps2502]

John how about owned as in employee-owned Northwestern.

[@Lucius_Chiaraviglio]

Cheap and Nothing Wasted -- I'll have to remember that.

[@Westerner78]

Really Cheap and Northing Worked. C&NW took everything they could from employees by shorting their pay, and stealing equipment from other railroads. Like fuel and radios.

[@Lucius_Chiaraviglio]

@@Westerner78 I'll have to remember that too.

[@katrinabryce]

In France trains run left-handed even though roads (and metro / trams) run right handed, because they followed the British practice, because trains came to Britain before France. And that is now the standard for high speed rail throughout the EU.

[@qwertyTRiG]

Except in Alsace, because that was under German control for long enough that trains still run on the right there. Is it really true that all European high speed trains run on the left? That seems odd. I've never been on an ICE or Thalys service, but hope to soon.

[@katrinabryce]

@@qwertyTRiG Thalys, yes. I've been on the Eurostar to both Paris and Brussels, and bar a few meters at a junction, covers the same route as the Thalys from Paris to Brussels.

[@qwertyTRiG]

@@katrinabryce I've been on a few TGVs entirely within France, a couple of Eurostars to/from Paris, and a Eurostar Italia, though that last was after dark and I'm not sure whether it was left or right running.

[@patrickf.4440]

it's been driving me nuts for years. Thanks for this bit of history. Pat, in Chicago,( near the Ravenswood UP North Metra station)

[@Westerner78]

Yes where they ripped up the express track. The third mainline. I had a train up to 94mph there backing up. Making up time. The speed had been dropped to only 79mph. It had Automatic Train Stop still there.

[@joelongjr.5114]

The CNW also was a pioneer in push/pull commuter trains.

[@beeble2003]

Do you know when they started running push-pull? I know there were some in the UK from 1903 (the Great Western Railway's autocoaches).

[@bigshouldersrails1318]

Got y'all covered: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l525k2OiiMSUrbs

[@johnwood3980]

Interesting, of course in the UK we run left handed but in the age of steam some railways put the driver on the right hand of the cab and not the more normal left side.

[@spuwho]

On most (but not all) modern locomotives, there is a control option to run "left handed" on the display. This is in the event the engine should run on UP/CNW rails as the lead engine. Now that the option is more common, it is why you see more foreign power on UP rails out of Chicago.

[@therealskull4786]

nice vid man

[@Westerner78]

Nice way of explaining a early screw up. C&NW was the largest but not the only left hander. Georgia and Florida a small outfit did too. Plus C&NW was known by crews as Cheap and Nothing Works! Management sucked up all the extra money in their pay. It paid one ten cent payment to in the last 50 years of operation to shareholders on billions of dollars of revenue. With massive abandonments , asset sales and bonus money every year to management. In Chicago when selling one of the downgraded Proviso yards, they were caught selling property they didn't own! No stock buy backs were done either! Pro business republican President Reagan set the massive merger movement in play . To get rid of railroads and raise the rates on remaining lines. He and the Bush's had massive positions in stock of UP. No way should the left hander been allowed to be taken over by the PACIFIC railroad of the UNION army. The break even commuter service should have been spun off to shareholders not run by UP. The books were cooked and expenses added so the state the first day lost money on the operation. Like $50 extra on every head of every employee. Plus a 10% management fee! C&NW was caught stealing fuel from RTA (Metra) filling up Freight units at passenger pumps. Today UP does not want that suburban operation they make millions of dollars on. They think in billions not millions today. Thanks Ronald Reagan.

[@beeble2003]

Interesting video. So... why did they build all the stations on the left? You'd imagine that, for a single-track line, they'd just build the station on whichever side was most convenient at each specific location, based on whatever circumstances existed at that place -- cost of the land, position of roads, rivers, hills and so on.

[@briannem.6787]

Maybe the line was constructed on a riverbank or similar, thus the town is on one side.

[@beeble2003]

@@briannem.6787 Good point.

[@illinirail3212]

One of the theories to why the stations were built on the north side of the tracks was so that the agent's office was in the full sun during the cold winter months.

[@millomweb]

"You'd imagine that, for a single-track line, they'd just build the station on whichever side was most convenient at each specific location, based on whatever circumstances existed at that place -- cost of the land, position of roads, rivers, hills and so on." Probably a good idea to have the station on the side the town was :) - more than any of the suggested reasons you've listed.

[@beeble2003]

@@millomweb Most stations are _in_ towns. The town is on both sides of the station.

[@neils5539]

As a kid growing up in Arlington Heights, IL we would put pennies on the tracks and pick up the flattened remains. Never knew or cared about left-handed or right-handed. But I was heartbroken when their beautiful paint scheme was replaced with that boring Metra silver!

[@billiebobbienorton2556]

Hey Neil - you shouldn't play on tracks.😨 Hope you saved your smashed Lincoln pennies for the Sunday collection plate. Would have loved to see Father McKensey's face when he learned about the "donation"!

[@johnstone7697]

@@billiebobbienorton2556 Fr. McKensey was busy writing the words to a sermon that noone would hear. So he never noticed.

[@infantinofan]

Grew up in Park Ridge and remember well the C&NW running left-handed. One or two people would get killed trying to cross the tracks because they looked the wrong way for the oncoming train.

[@bigshouldersrails1318]

That’s a tragedy. It definitely isn’t intuitive for most Americans used to right-handed roads and railroads. Being a knowledgeable foamer can save your life!

[@mccoy79productions66]

excellent video!

[@christophercarey3232]

Left-handed as in operating from the left side of the cab?

[@still_guns]

Surely this poses an issue to modern American rolling stock though. Being that the majority of American rails are right hand running, that means the cabs are set up for a right handed cab to see signals and speedboards. Operation of a locomotive/MU with a right handed cab would be problematic on a left handed railway, hence why the UK uses trains with left handed cabs for its left handed rails.

[@kingjames8283]

Okay, so a different meaning than what I thought. Here it is talking about tracks whereas I thought it would mean the locomotives. A question I've had for a good while is why are locomotives operated from the right side instead of the left side? Strange that cars, trucks, and buses in the U.S. are operated from left side but locomotives from the right side. As for what track a train operates on I never really thought it mattered except in passenger operations. Makes sense now when I saw Union Pacific trains in western Arizona last week operate in a left hand pattern.

[@cityjetproductions]

From my understanding it's so the driver can see the trackside signals.

[@ClausWawrzinek]

This must imply that there was only one way to get on and off the train, from the left side as you look towards the front of the train. Couldn’t they just have run the train cars backwards to get access from the other side or maybe put doors on both sides?

[@johnstone7697]

There are doors on both sides of those cars. You don't want to ever exit the train in front of the other set of tracks. The only issue is where the station is placed relative to the direction of the train. The goal was to have the station adjacent to the track that heads into the city. When there was only one track, the station position was designed to always be on the same side of the track. It's when they double tracked the routes that the problem came in.

[@popps2502]

I Miss the oh C&NW. Wow just thought it would always be there. Also miss bombing the Cabooses.

[@bigshouldersrails1318]

I was never alive when the CNW existed so I’ve only experienced it at museums, books, and it’s former tracks. Glad the video brought back some good memories though!

[@AFriendlyTheo]

the simple answer is that we Chicagoans like to design our infrastructure and *then* think about how to use it.

[@bigshouldersrails1318]

Sounds about right

[@bobjennings6673]

C&NW was not the only left running RR. The Santa Fe also ran left handed on double track.

[@randalllindemann3545]

You might have started with a definition of what you mean by “running left (or right) handed.” You managed to get through the whole video without taking up that issue.

[@billsmith103]

I’m not really a train expert but I “managed” to figure it out.

[@maxwellwalcher6420]

CNW is back and would CNW Streamline Pacific 134 be here.

[@mackfisher4487]

I thought the origin of running on the left side was based on the British Engineering the road, and its financial backing.

[@universeman657]

“Cheap and Nothing Wasted” *Laughs in F40PH-3*

[@jslasher1]

All railways in Australia run left-handed, which was also the case with the British railway practices that Australia inherited. We also drive on the left-hand side as well.

[@steverob7637]

We don't all drive on LH. Queensland are RH drive - just like the GWR in the UK!

[@jslasher1]

@@steverob7637 Thanks for this info. Was not aware of that, but when you think about it Queenslanders are a bit odd.

[@steverob7637]

@@jslasher1 I neglected to add that WAGR and the TGR also RH drive, jslasher!

[@adriandunne4382]

In Victoria Australia the broad gauge line (5ft 3in) from Werribee to Geelong is signaled for bi-directional running on both tracks , and the standard gauge line from Seymour to Wodonga is also bi-directional, but only the west line runs through most of the high level passenger platforms.

[@Ruiluth]

If this has been in my recommendations this many times and you can get 46K views... maybe I should start making those videos about steam engines I've been thinking about for so long

[@cr10001]

British railways run left-handed (of course), just as their roads drive on the left. However, it was greatly to my surprise that I noted, in my first trip on a French TGV (high speed train) that the SNCF - French railways - also runs on the left. Historical accident, I presume. The first public railways of all were in Britain so I assume the initial French railways were constructed using British technology. The Paris Metro, however, runs right-handed. Unlike driving, where there is a strong reason for all traffic to use the same side of the road, it makes little difference which side a train runs on. Resignalling to change the side would incur a significant cost, for no particular benefit, which is presumably why the C&NW never bothered to change.

[@FSantoro91]

Italian locomotive engineer/train driver here: we do run left-handed too.

[@cr10001]

@@FSantoro91 Thanks! I didn't know that. Swiss trains appear to run left-handed too, mostly.

[@ivovanzon164]

SNCF runs on the left except in the Alsace region where they run on the right.

[@poruatokin]

(posted elsewhere) I did a quick check, Seems to be 50% of more of territories where left running is practiced. Just a few, UK, Ireland, Belgium, France, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, Portugal, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, India, China, Nearly all of South America, all of South East Asia, except Indonesia, most of Africa.

[@Twittler1]

@@ivovanzon164 Alsace and Lorraine were German principalities when the railways came, and nearly all the German railways ran on the right.

[@tommyhunter1817]

What is meant by “left handed”?

[@jacobwoods8738]

Procedure on double track saw the trains run on the left hand side, most railways in the USA operate with the driver on the right (or for the internet jerk who thinks only Americans exist “engineer”) operating on the right track with the passing track on the left. In Britain this layout was reversed, hence the longstanding British investors theory. This was another reason British companies began moving the driver to the left of the locomotive rather than the right in the 20th century. The CNW adopted this left side running practice (with the driver on the right still, just like the GWR) which was unique in the States.

[@tommyhunter1817]

@@jacobwoods8738 doesn’t it depend on what direction the train is running as to whether it’s left or right hand? If it’s left in “pull” it’s right in “push”.

[@jacobwoods8738]

@@tommyhunter1817 That I am afraid I do not know. I assumed then the DVT led they changed running lines.

[@Derecq]

Left hand running is standard British railway practice and the British built the first railways. Many railways worldwide continue left hand running.

[@poruatokin]

Seems to be 50% of more of territories where left running is practiced. Just a few, UK, Ireland, Belgium, France, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, Portugal, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, India, China, Nearly all of South America, all of South East Asia, except Indonesia, most of Africa.

[@Derecq]

@@poruatokin French railways run left handed but the Paris Metro runs right handed

[@robertoskeetrech3206]

It would be very useful for you to define what you mean by "left handed". Otherwise very interesting.

[@wharpblast264]

There are whole countries where rail orientation does not follow road. France and Sweden come to mind. Probably others and some mixed. Sweden switched from driving on the left in the late 60s. No real need to change rail as well.

[@shad6644]

I’m left handed and to misquote ‘The Princess Bride’…..‘I don’t think left-handed means what you think left-handed means…’

[@K-Effect]

Does left-handed mean the engineer is where the firemen would be and the fireman is where the engineer is?

[@bigshouldersrails1318]

The location of the engineer and fireman did not switch, only the side that the train physically operated on. Thanks for asking!

[@hypergolic8468]

@@bigshouldersrails1318 Did that cause problems for signal locations / visibility from the footplate if the driver was on the other side? Great video.

[@kenroberts4767]

@@bigshouldersrails1318 But if there's only a single track, then that is irrelevant.

[@Aqua_108]

Now Metra

[@ryancrooks2515]

I live in a town that former wabash tracks but line rip up by ns in 1990's

[@bigshouldersrails1318]

That’s a tragedy. Hope there’s some remnants of the Wabash in town!

[@ryancrooks2515]

@@bigshouldersrails1318 two of the bridge remanded

[@rail-ryder7135]

Chicago and Northwestern operates on the left track while the Penn Central oprates on what's left of the track.

[@NCRailfanProductions]

YESS 💀💀💀💀💀

[@rail-ryder7135]

@NCRailfanProductions What are the skulls for?

[@davewallace8219]

thanks!

[@tylerbonser7686]

Very interesting. Funny how they tried to make it sound innovative.

[@bigshouldersrails1318]

Gotta spin it somehow!

[@Westerner78]

@@bigshouldersrails1318 And North Western sure did.

[@SpottoBotto]

Because Rule Britannia - That's Why!! 🇬🇧

[@joshuafajardo5697]

I wanna see a CNW F59PHI

[@gregzuefle7958]

Scary Halloween music

[@markdanielczyk944]

Nice to finally know the truth, I kind if thought this was the reason. Grandma always said the reason was due to German influence.

[@simonblackham4987]

To me as a Brit ... why do US railways use right hand running? In Europe some are left hand running (eg France, Belgium) and some are right hand running (eg Germany, Netherlands). Some high speed lines have flyovers to switch running near borders!

[@RandomizedPalette]

They WHAT?

[@maltesephil]

the left side is also the correct side

[@TempoDrift1480]

So what does left handed mean? You steer the train with your left hand only?

[@bigshouldersrails1318]

Think about roads in the US. Americans drive on the right side of the road - they are set up for “right hand traffic.” Most railroads in the US are set up like this as well. The CNW bucked this trend. If you look at the clips of trains in the video you’ll see them running “left handed.” It’s a weird quirk in railroading history

[@Twittler1]

You don’t steer a train at all. Trains are steered by the rails, and by the point switches at junctions, etc. Those are set by the signal operators. A train driver (engineer) makes the train go or stop. There’s s lot more stuff to it than that, but steering isn’t amongst it.

[@Twittler1]

@@WAL_DC-6B Sorry, it isn’t. The flanges are the last resort as far as guidance is concerned. Trains follow the curve of the track because of geometry. The profile of railway wheels is conical, not cylindrical. This is aided by the rails on modern track leaning slightly inward. But even without that, because of their profile, each wheel is inclined to move inward. With two wheels per axle, the effect is that the entire axle is inclined to centre itself between the rails. On curves this tendency still operates, but is reinforced by the differential action caused by the conical profile of the wheels - the inside of each wheel (the flange side) is greater in diameter than the outside. In a curve, the inside of each wheel on the outer rail is forced to move closer to that rail, and vice versa with the opposite wheel on the inner rail. The greater diameter of the part of the wheel (near the flange) on the outer rail enables that wheel to cover the greater distance of the curved outer rail while rotating at the same speed as the wheel on the inner rail, which has less distance to cover; that is aided by the inner wheel running on its smaller diameter outside edge. The wheels of railway vehicles are almost universally rigidly fixed to their axle. The whole thing rotates as one piece, axle and both wheels. Only low floor trams (streetcars) have independently rotating wheels. They still steer the same way however, conical wheel profile and inclined running rails (on modern track). The flanges only contact the rails on shorter than normal designed minimum curve radii bends for the vehicle concerned. This usually only occurs at complex junctions, or in storage yards, etc., and at low speeds, never at normal running speed. When the flanges do contact the running rails, they squeal quite or very loudly. No squealing = no flange contact. As long as the vehicle is running on curves equal to or greater than its designed minimum curve radius, the flanges never make rail contact.

[@WAL_DC-6B]

@@Twittler1 OK, you convinced me with your arguments and consequently I removed my comment. Thanks for setting the record straight!

[@Twittler1]

@@WAL_DC-6B No worries. Also, I wasn’t trying one-upmanship or anything like that. You’re not the first person who thought it was the flanges. I did myself until just a few years ago. And I did go on quite a bit - I’m not an engineer, and don’t find translating engineer speak into English easy to do briefly. 👍🏻

[@yumpinyiminy963]

I thought maybe they wanted to sell some power units to the Brits.

[@bigshouldersrails1318]

Nope! They were just being cheap

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

Although our trains run on the left the driver on steam locomotives stood on either the left or right of the locomotive depending on period and company. I think the GWR was right hand drive until its was nationalised in 1948. BR had to reposition all of ex-GWR signals to allow standard lefthand driving positions, but this wasn't completed until long after steam had been replaced by diesels.

[@cr10001]

Unlike cars (automobiles, I mean - which are designed according to which side of the road they're supposed to run on), I don't think locomotives or rolling stock care which side they run on. Features like track gauge (which is substantially the same for US/UK/Europe, but may vary elsewhere), loading gauge and clearances, and axle load, are far more significant in exporting locos. Also, generally, locomotives for export were manufactured by builders like Baldwin, Alco etc, not by railroads.

[@xgtmg]

Because we only use our right hand for drinking!

[@jaysmith1408]

I’ll bite, why not put the stations on the RIGHT side of the track, hmm?

[@millomweb]

"Eljin" !!!!

[@davidchapman1519]

I though this was common knowledge

[@J3scribe]

Most European high speed rail runs left-handed (Danes, Dutch, French, Swiss; German; Italian; etc...) for no apparent reason. They just do it that way.

[@bigshouldersrails1318]

What made the CNW unique is that almost no other railroads in the US ran left handed. True, deciding which way trains operate is fairly arbitrary, but the CNW went against many other railroads… all to save a buck!

[@J3scribe]

@@bigshouldersrails1318 That's not true. Santa Fe ran left handed, and BNSF still does today on the Southern Transcon. UP still runs left handed on ex CNW between Chicago and Freemont, NE., and on the Overland route beyond. But they do it because each track is bi-directional, which makes operational sense.

[@bigshouldersrails1318]

I should clarify on my previous comment: other railroads in the United States do operate left-handed, but this is typically restricted to subdivisions or small sections of track. CNW’s system was an anomaly in this regard, where left handed running was the norm

[@tompao7832]

No! In Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark right hand running is the norm. Maybe in Switzerland too, I'm not 100% shure. Italy and Sweden has left hand running - so have France excluding Elsass and parts of Lothringen, due to historical reasons. /TKO

[@cr10001]

@@tompao7832 I'm fairly sure Switzerland has right-hand running. It surprised me when I saw that France (most of it) runs on the left. However the Paris Metro runs on the right.

[@ModMokkaMatti]

Bring back the Chicago & North Western and shrink the Union Pacific to minimal scale. Release the Western Pacific, Southern Pacific, Missouri Pacific, and all the other lines that were gobbled up by a greedy Uncle Pete.

[@22pcirish]

Because the British system was the first railway and runs that way to this day.

[@cr10001]

So do French railways. But I doubt the C&NW was influenced by that. Even if they had bought British equipment (and I have seen no suggestion that they did), it runs equally well on either track.

[@ednorton47]

Because highwaymen are right-handed.

[@bigshouldersrails1318]

The real explanation revealed!

[@JMACCSArmiesOfMiddleEarth]

Jesus Christ American trains are huuuuuuge