Steve,
"If we are to believe the CHS then #12 will be joined by C&S #9 sometime in June."
As I have stated before, I don't believe the CHS that #9 will be steaming in June, or by July 1. Later in the season, perhaps. There is still a lot of work that needs to be planned and completed before that girl can even begin to look like a respectable lady again. This is my opinion, and may be wrong. Again, "only time will tell".
"It would appear that the CHS is sincere in their desire to use historical equipment on the Loop. Of course, other than the #9 did any of these engines run on the Loop?"
If we state for the sake of argument that the did #9 ran the Loop originally (meaning during the C&S days, which is what CHS seems to prefer), then she is the ONLY "historical" locomotive that they are pursuing. I say this assuming that the CHS has dropped trying to obtain C&S 2-8-0's #60 & #71 for use on the Loop. Obviously, being from El Salvador and the International Railways of Central America, the #111 never ran the Loop. The #30/74 also never ran the Loop in the days of the C&S, as she was too large to run the line. This has probably changed with today's Georgetown Loop, as the rock-lined cut and all bridges were built/slightly altered to accomadate the #40 & #44, which are fairly large engines when compared to the C&S's motive power (such as the #9).
So, CHS's definition of "historical equipment" seems to be changing a bit.
A "bit"?! Are you kidding me?! They were giving us (GLRR Inc.) @#$%& about not having "historical equipment" because the shays were from California and the baldwins from Central America. This was supposedly one of the large sticking points CHS had with GLRR Inc..
Well, wake up and eat your own words, CHS. You have a small, but quite pretty steam engine FROM HAWAII, two diseaseals (still pending arrival in Plume) from a STEEL MILL, another steam engine that NEVER ONCE TURNED A WHEEL ON THE "ORIGINAL" Georgetown Loop, a steam engine that came from the SAME RAILROAD AND COUNTRY (El Salvador) AS GLRR INC.'S #40 & #44! AND AT THE SAME TIME!! -as a clarifing note here, the #40 is said to have pulled the #111 (dead) in train while traveling north towards the United States.
And the one loner, a very beat up and tired #9, which has been under the "care" of CHS for the past 16 years, ROTTING AWAY ON A SIDING.
I will now dismount my respective soapbox and return you fine folks to our regularlly schedulled programing - ng railroading.
Shane