Boy this is cool. Need to know more about this. Your URL link did not work.
My ride was in 1984, and my buddy and I were scouting the line from Bethlehem toward Ficksburg our first afternoon there. We came upon a train going the other way that had a pair of 4-8-4's. This was really unusual for this line. Anyway we got a shot, then went to Fouriesburg where everything stopped for water. I spoke to the engineer and asked if I could ride in the cab. He had to ask the first engine since that engineer was in charge. So I rode in the second engine(3405) since I wanted to video tape inside it and shoot forward to get the experience of riding in a doubleheader, plus it was upgrade out of town. I got to sit in the firemans seat as well as the engineers seat.
One drawback was that my buddy was supposed to meet us at the town of Slabberts with the rental van, and we would swap. He never showed up, so I went in the 3405 back to Bethlehem, where the engineer took me to the Hotel. About 2 hours later my buddy arrived with a farmer. Seems he was looking for the map, and ran off the road(gravel) into a ditch.
This was 10 pm, and we needed a replacement by 6 am, cause 3405 with the same crew was to operate the Saturday only passenger train at 7 am. We got our van at 6:30 delivered overnight from Joburg, and made the first shot by 5 minutes, and chased it all day, including some 60 mph running. Glorious clear cold day, and my buddies wife got a cab ride(very unusual for a woman to get one).
That was the first year I did video, so at least we got it with video and sound.
Cheers,
Greg Scholl
looking forward to the url. of 3405...It was a pool engine, but 3401 had a regular driver and was kept super clean.
PS Image is of the daily passenger train to Bethlehem in late afternoon, on that trip in 1984.. 25NC 4-8-4.
