Andy Sperandeo is #1 !

[Anonymous]

Andy, I am both a modeler, and a prototype fan/historian. I regularly visit this site in both the model, and prototype areas. I see many replies from you, and they are always extremely helpful. You might want to talk to your counterparts down the hall, and tell them to get a little more involved in their website. I find myself looking through back issues of Trains to help some person looking for certain info. I never have to do that on "this side" of the website though. You are always there to help someone out. You my friend, are a great asset to Kalmbach Publishing Co. Keep up the great work!
Todd Cline.

[Sperandeo]

Aw, shucks, Todd, talk like that could give a guy a big head. Seriously, though, thank you very much. It's nice to be appreciated. A lot of people in this hobby have been very helpful to me, and I try to do what I can to pass it on.

Thanks again,

Andy

Andy Sperandeo
MODEL RAILROADER Magazine

[nawalins]

Andy, I'm also a native of New Orleans, and I really enjoyed your article in the October issue of Model Railroader on New Orleans' Union Passenger Terminal. I seem to remember you mentioning NOUPT in an editorial (At The Throttle) a while back. At present, I can't seem to locate that particular issue. Didn't you mention something about a turning wye in close proximity of the station, or was it just a point for modeling purposes? If the wye was prototypical, can you somehow incorporate this feature in a follow-up article?

Michael E. Risher
CEO Bayou Self Railway
Greenville, S.C.

[csxns]

Michael is the Bayou Self part of Greenville & Northern.

[Anonymous]

How do you pronounce "Sperandeo"??

[Anonymous]

Mike, I love the name of your railroad! Had me laughing when I saw it. Remember folks, Model Railroading is FUN!!

[Anonymous]

Try, "Spur-andy-oh".
Todd C.

[Sperandeo]

Hi Michael,

I'm glad you enjoyed my NOUPT article. The wye was (and still is, I think) about two miles out from the station, and of course I took advantage of that in my October track plan so as not to have to turn the trains around in a limited space. In the aerial photo on the MODEL RAILROADER site, the wye is just below the overpass that runs across near the top of the photo,. which as you may remember is the South Broad Street overpass. You can see it clearly in the track diagram included in that September 1954 "Trains" article.

I doubt if I'll do another NOUPT plan anytime soon, and of course including the wye would mean you'd have to turn the trains around twice – once in staging so they could approach the wye head first, then once on the wye so they could back into the station. At least South Broad Street would allow two legs of the wye to dissappear under the overpass.

The editorial you refer to was "Railroading down South," in the June 1998 issue.

so long,

Andy

Andy Sperandeo
MODEL RAILROADER Magazine

[nawalins]

Thanx for the clarification Andy. It's been quite some time since I took a train into New Orleans. I remember the train stopping somewhere prior to entering NOUPT for a brief period, then backing into the terminal. The only time I actually remember an engine facing the terminal was back in the late 60's or early 70's when the Southern Ry. had some type of promotional train running with their beautiful green steam locomotive.

The Bayou Self Ry. is set in Southern Louisiana, West of New Orleans in the "River Parishes", St. Charles, St. John and St. James. It's obviously a fictional branch line that serves the petro-chemical industry, as well as sugar and seafood. So no connection to The Greenville and Northern.
The name Bayou Self came from a tee shirt design I saw some years ago.