Western Railroad Discussion > Tony Andersen

I am sad to report that Anton F. "Tony" Andersen, the La Mesa Model Railroad Club's perennial Chief Engineer, passed away last week at age 73.  Tony lived alone, and his body was found in his San Diego condominium by his nephew on Christmas day.  He had not been in good health for quite some time, though his sudden death was a shock to those of us who knew him and interacted with him at the club regularly.  

Tony served as a medic in the army, and after getting a civil engineering degree he went to work in the the Santa Fe Engineering Department in Chicago.  He was a licensed Professional Engineer and later took a position with the Los Angeles County Transit Commission before retiring about a decade ago.  He was also active in the Santa Fe Railway Historical and Modeling Organization.  

Tony was a charter member of the La Mesa club, and his primary interest in model railroading was track planning.  He designed nearly all of the track plan and structure of the club's Tehahchapi pass exhibit in the San Diego Model Railroad Museum.
While the Tehahchapi Pass exhibit has been a communal project, Tony's contributions cannot be overstated, and it will remain as an enduring monument to his legacy as its designer.  I have posted a more detailed eulogy to Tony on the Model Railroading board.

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