I’ve just learned of the passing of Andy Sperandeo. I was aware that Andy had been having some health issues for some time, but his death really caught me by surprise. He will be missed.

I first met Andy back in the early sixties. Andy used to clerk at the Hub Hobby Shop in New Orleans. I was a young teenager then and used to get to Hub as often as I could. Andy was my go-to guy for model railroading supplies and he was always helpful to me. One day while there, Lou Schultz wandered in and Andy introduced me to him. We all got into the usual model railroading banter and I found myself to be quite at home with these guys. Eventually I was invited to visit the Crescent City Model Railroad Club which at the time was headquartered in Judge Boutall’s attic out in “new” Metairie. After a few visits, the club members deemed me fit for membership, and I joined the club as their first junior member.

Andy was always present at the weekly meetings and he was quite patient teaching this kid how to properly run a train, and how to switch cars, and so on. After Andy moved up to Wisconsin, I didn’t get to see him too often. But we would meet at various NMRA functions, and occasionally Andy would make a trip back down to Louisiana for a visit with old friends. I last saw him several years ago at Lou’s C&O layout in Covington, where he assumed the position of yardmaster in Hinton for the operating session.

It’s sad -and kind of scary- that so many friends have passed in just the last few years, including four folks that I considered very good friends.

I hope Andy has joined Lou, Bill and Shawn for construction of the grandest model railroad of all.

-Jack