Ken,
I seriously doubt that we will ever see #9 run again! It no longer figures into their plans and will cost too much to properly restore. They are placing all their hopes on running the #12 with the assistance of the two diseasals. I see where Bell says that the pin truss bridge is sufficient for present operations but then "spins" the whole thing so that we should think the bridge is on it's last legs(!) Why not just admit that they purchased the #1203 BEFORE making sure that it would work on the Loop and that (once again) the State is going to be asked to fork over $$$$ so that the Loop can operate (sheesh!...)
Once again, we are asked to swallow the whopper that the #111 will be ready for this season! Uh huh.... just like the #9 was going to be ready by July and just like there was going to be a winter program last winter and just like the #1203 would be up on the Loop LAST year....oh well, maybe THIS time Bell will actually be right! (It COULD happen!) Either way, they blew their wad LAST year on the #1203 (which I suspect is the reason that they have to blow THIS year's budget on the replacement for the pin truss bridge!) Add to that the money they are spending to rebuild the #12 as well as the money ALREADY allocated to the #111 and something's going to have to get left out! Guess what? Poor old #9 gets to set out on blocks for another year....