Yep, nice to see the real thing and every train is a little adventure package. In 1984 Waterval was one of the last sheds where Garratts were making mainline runs, and they were doing Ballast Trains to Breyten(via Carolina) and we planned the beginning of the trip to do one of those days of the week. In Waterval Boven my friend Bill and I got a cab ride in a GMAM(didn't even get the number-who cares), as it switched freight cars back and forth near our trackside motel. Once they stopped abruptly and I went into the backhead and got a couple of bruises out of the deal----"All is for steam!!!"
We also did the Breyten-Lothair Doubleheader with a pair of 24's, but we stayed in Waterval Boven the night before. There were only 24's there.
The GMAM Garratt did not turn and ran chimney first with empty ballast cars and they towed a dead Garratt(hand-fired one of the older classes-I forgot off hand which) back to Waterval Boven, likely toward the scrapper.
Sad to hear years later about all the 25NC's that were lost to scrap as late as 2006!!!
Ah, the good old days.
Greg