by Chih-wen Hung¡@
Most railroads in America run trains on the right hand side. When a railfan goes out for train-watching, it is normal to use this rule for checking whether the train is coming. Even this line is under CTC control, the trains are still run on the right hand side in most situations.
However, trains in Taiwan and Japan run on the left hand side. For railfans from Asia, it is difficult to get used to these American railroad systems running trains on the right hand side.
However, when I first came to the US in 1996, I didn't feel any different when I went train-watching in Ames, Iowa on the C&NW mainline. It is just like a common sense for me to wait for trains on the left hand side. I didn't find something wrong until one day my friend Dan told me that the C&NW always runs trains on the left hand side. The C&NW is a well-known "Left hand side railroad".
When I watched trains on the C&NW lines, I felt like watching trains in my hometown. When I hear the train sound, I know where the train is coming.
I think, this is the first reason I started to like C&NW.
¡@
