Hello All,
Len Carparelli of L & L Model Train Restoration here.
I'm sure a lot of you have been asking about Dennis Waldron and 'Just Trains' of Sussex NJ, and the many pending orders with his company, so I'd like to clarify the most recent events regarding Dennis and 'Just Trains' for all my fellow model railroaders.
First, Dennis' company, 'Just Trains' [in Sussex NJ] and 'Just Trains of Delaware' are two, separate, distinct entities. Neither one is related to the other in any way. All further comments in my post will be about 'Just Trains' of Sussex, NJ. From what I hear, the folks at 'Just Trains' of Delaware are wonderful people to deal with, so please refer any questions about them to their own website and email.
Sadly, Dennis passed away last December after a long bout with some major kidney problems. Towards the end he was on dialysis three times a week, until, finally, they had to move the dialysis machine into his home. He was in a lot of pain towards the end, and was unable to process orders. His widow, Sharen, was not that familiar with the train business, and as such, my wife RuthAnn and I will be helping her fulfill all outstanding back orders. I will be heading up there today [Sunday, March 7, 2021 as I write this] to assess the situation, and there is a distinct possibility that I may purchase Dennis' business along with his massive parts inventory.
Please understand: NOTHING IS SET IN STONE YET, but at the very least, at first I hope to get everyone's orders out to them as soon as we can- and keep in mind, all you L & L MTC clients - I am feverishly working on YOUR restoration orders as well - yes, I still have quite a backlog of my own!
Sharen has closed down her website and E-Bay store, as she is unable to process new orders. She asked that you not call or email her as she is quite overwhelmed and certainly emotionally distraught.. [see her previous post, which I have copied and pasted immediately below] However, If you need more information regarding your 'Just Trains' order, you can call me anytime at [201] 438-1266, or, if you prefer, you can always email me at lionellennyrestoration@gmail.com, and I'll get back to you just as soon as I can. I'll be happy to do my best to help you get your order completed, so simply reference 'Dennis' or "Just Trains", and I'll know it's not an 'L & L' order you are referring to.
Now, it's no secret that Dennis could be a bit cantankerous and sometimes a little short with his customers. But he is gone now, and previously he'd served two tours of duty in Vietnam. I also believe he was exposed to Agent Orange while there, so, as Dennis was a veteran of our military and served his country honorably, I respectfully ask that you please respect his service, and bear with both Sharen and myself as we try to get the situation under control. Certainly it's hard enough to suffer the loss of your spouse, and when you add to that the business problems that she is experiencing, naturally it can be an awful lot to bear.
Thanks to all for reading, and thanks for your understanding.
Kindest Regards,
Len Carparelli,
L & L Model Train Co
(201) 438-1266
lionellennyrestoration@gmail.com
*****Here is Sharen's note from 2/23/2021:
"Dennis wanted no fuss when he passed away on December 5th. He was cremated in Pennsylvania and brought back to Sussex to be buried in a veteran’s cemetery later in the spring. There was no wake and for my own protection nothing appeared in the papers. I do not have a date for his burial yet. I will let you know at a later date."
"I do not know much about his business other than pulling some parts. Now I’m faced with trying to finish orders, find a buyer or close his business. If you should know of anyone in my area that know the train business, I would appreciate some help. I’ve spoken with Len from L & L Model Train Restoration in Rutherford, NJ, and he has told me he would help with the repairs. I’m still getting orders on Den’s Website, and have finally found a computer programmer to help close the site, hopefully next week."
"Please give my thanks to all of Den’s associates who have helped him though out the years."
Thank you again,
Sharen Waldron”
