The Chow Mein Choo Choo goes Clam Chowder.

[Guilford Guy]

The Valley Railroad has purchased the former Knox & Kane SY Mike 1658. They will be doing a real life kitbashing. Plans are to rebuild it from the ground up, and externally modify her with a new cab, modified pilot, and whistles/bells/headlights from original New Haven Steamers, none of which survive today. The Tender is going to be altered to look close in appearance to a New Haven clear vision tender. She is expected to be in service by the 2011 Season! Updates shall follow.
Click Here to View a Mock Up

[RAM]

I am glad to see this bashing.  I think it will be a better looking locomotive. It will also be numbered one number higher then the N.H. 2-8-2s

[SteamGene]

GG - good title, except chop suey is American.  Chow mein is somewhat authentic Cantonese. 
Gene

[Yampa Bob]

We love Chinese (Cantonese) and prepare it often with LaChoy veggies. Our favorite is shrimp chow mein.

That is a catchy title, and a great looking locomotive. Unfortunately it would give the engineer whiplash on my tight curves.  I wonder what the distance is from the last driver to the cab end, looks about 3 inches in HO.

I'm still looking for a Mike, I stretched a Connie but it's not very authenic.

Will Valley use the Mike for an excursion line? I know very little about Eastern railroads.

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

Actually, I believe it's "chowdah." 

[Guilford Guy]

Valley Railroad already runs two steamers, #40, and #97. Back in the 80's, they used an SY on their trains. The SY was then sold off. At an auction for the Knox & Kane equipment, the Valley Railroad's president bid and won the SY for $100,000, and because the the cab was a total loss from the engine house fire, they decided to replace it with an American styled cab, and ultimately "New Havenize" it.

[SteamGene]

Bob,
Taking the diverging route for a bit and railroading pubberbellies to woks, the LaChoy vegtables are fine in a pinch.  But check out fresh bean sprouts, snow peas, bok choy, and mushrooms in the supermarket.  I admit, I'm spoiled since I shop mostly at the commissary at Langley AFB, and it caters to a lot of Oriental wives.  We TRY to do a stir fry a week.  Other veggies are onions, peppers, and asparagas and we've used fresh or leftover shrimp, beef, pork, or chicken.  The LaChoy (I think) is one of the best stir fry sauces available.
Now we stop and blowdown.
Gene

[Yampa Bob]

Gene,
Now you've done it, gotta go shopping tomorrow for stir fry stuff. Shrimp chow mein, crisp noodles, water chestnuts, rice with my special pour over sauce.  Drool..... 

[pdlethbridge]

Duck?

[SteamGene]

Goose?
Gene

[Guilford Guy]

Here are some of Lee Carlson's photos of 1658/3025's Tender... The fire damage is pretty obvious...
http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=2008110718084431763.jpg
http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=2008110718114631875.jpg

Lastly, a couple pix of their current steam roster... 97 and 40

[Yampa Bob]

Great pictures of 97 and 40. The tender is unique (at least to me).

Was just the cab damaged on the locomotive? The tender doesn't look too bad.

I have heard that restorations like this run about $250K, plus the buy price of $100K.  Is that about right?  I guess Valley can afford it, anyway it's a write off.

Thanks for the pictures. I can see 97 parked in our front yard.

Gene, the meal was delicious. 

[SteamGene]

Bob,

Ichi bon!
Gene

[Jhanecker2]

Wish you hadn't mentioned Chinese Food . I got to go an check  where I left the Stir -Fried Chicken Left overs. I just bought some fresh Shitake Mushrooms yesterday and I have some jars of Baby Corn in the wine cellar. Time to find my wok .  I prefer  Kikkoman Soy Sauce.