With a heavy heart, I’m sad to report that Andy Sperandeo, who has been a part of our lives at Model Railroader magazine for more than 30 years, has died.
As some of you know, Andy had been fighting cancer and other ailments, and the combination finally caught up with him earlier today.
Andy started work at Model Railroader in 1979, becoming editor in 1993. In time he became executive editor and upon retirement a few years ago became a contributing editor. Readers today are most familiar with Andy through his monthly The Operators column.
Information on services or memorials remains pending at this time.
this is very sad news indeed! Andy has accompanied me many years with his articles and columns in MR and his passing means a great loss to the model railroading community in the entire world.
My sincere condolences to the loved ones he leaves behind!
You may not have met the Bushy Lion, but he comes out to sit vigil with firends on the internet. I am sadened to hear of Andy’s passing, I do indeed remember when he joined the pages of Model Railroader. May he rest in peace.
Sad news indeed. Model Railroading has lost one of its greatest contributors and Pillars of the hobby over the past few decades. Andy’s articles provided me with knowledge, guidance, and entertainment throughout my years spent in the hobby. He will be missed.
As a fellow Santa Fe modeler, Andy was always my favorite member of the MR Staff.
His “San Jacinto District” track plan from the February 1980 issue of MR is still the most appealing one I have ever seen - both my previous and current layouts have been based on it.
Although I never met him, this is very sad news, and I feel as if I have lost a good friend.
My condolences to Andy and his family. I have been reading Model Railroader for many years and Andy has been a major contributor and personality at MR. He will be missed by many.
I offer my condolences to Andy’s family, friends, and to those in the hobby who got to know him and who appreciated his talents and knowledge. I also extend my condolences to the staff at Model Railroader Magazine because I know they are greatly saddened today.
May he rest in peace, and have a full head of steam on his next run up the rails. We know who his conductor his.
Saddened to hear of his passing, it was Andy’s article on the Washita & Santa Fe that got me hooked on modelling US railroads and made me change from UK to US modelling. Now as I embark on a new project im reading his superb articles on operation and he still inspires.
What sad news. I’ve known Andy for more than 30 years. Andy has operated on my last three layouts, typically choosing a yard job.
Here he is running Junction City yard on my current layout, a few years back before much scenery was complete. His buddy and traveling companion Gordy Speiring looks on from his local freight job at left.
One of my duties at Model Railroader was to work with Andy as lead editor of his monthly column, “The Operators.” Part of that duty involved searching the railroad photo archives in our library for images to illustrate his columns.
For Andy’s last column, I found four potential photos that I scanned in and e-mailed to him to choose between. I indicated my favorite, of a CB&Q towerman, by saying it had “a Norman Rockwell feel.”
Andy selected that photo to use, and wrote in his caption, “My friend at MR, Steven Otte, says he likes this photo because of its Norman Rockwell feel.” Being modest, I edited out the reference to myself before putting the column together and sending it back to him for proofreading.
When Neil returned after visiting Andy, he said Andy wanted the reference to me back in. “He was very insistent,” he said. “He said he’s very grateful for how you’ve worked with him on The Operators, and for everything you’ve done to help him on Great Model Railroads after he got sick, so he wants it in there.” So I relented, and restored the sentence.
And that turned out to be his last column.
After I heard this morning that Andy had passed away, I was struck by how much that sentence suddenly means to me.
If I end up working another 20 years at Model Railroader, I can’t imagine another accomplishment that will give me as much pride as the fact that Andy Sperandeo chose to call me his friend.
So sorry to hear of Andy’s passing. I can remember him as long as I’ve been reading Model Railroader (early 1980’s). He always was so full of information and passion about railroading and model railroading. I even have his model railroad wiring book, which has helped with keeping my wiring on my layout running flawlessly. I always looked forward to reading his articles and information that he shared in the magazine. He will be missed. Condolences to his family and friends.
