Somewhere in the online books about the 2 ft. operation of the SAR, there is a photo of a NG-15 upside down following a derailment.
These locomotives had their lead drives linked somehow to the lead truck so the first driver evidently would act like a lead truck as well.
It was/is a German design.
Perhaps this has something to do with the locomotive's ability to operate at high speeds for a both a freight locomotive and a narrow gauge locomotive
The SAR 2 ft. lines were also very well maintained during their heyday.