Restoration of Engine No. 18

I have been following the possible restoration of
a part of the former SP narrow gauge. It sounds as if there are really TWO seperate groups hoping to restore part of the old line. In addition to the Laws/Bishop group mentioned above, there is a second group that hopes to restore engine number 18 (the 4-6-0 in the park at Independence) to operating condition. This group hopes to lay about 16 miles of track between the old standard gauge depot at Lone Pine and Kearsarge or Independence.
The source for my information is a letter to the editor, page 6, in the Summer, 2000 issue of SP Trainline, the official publication of the Southern Pacific Historical Society. I am not a member of either restoration group. Does any one out there have any more information regarding the restoration of engine number 18?
So stay tuned, things could get interesting with the old SP narrow gauge.
Ron Grau