There is not a single manufacturer that "can do no wrong". Every consumer has their own preference and some are more vocal(in terms of frequency) about stating negative opinions than others.
I respect the detail and the attention to accuracy that 3rd Rail invests in their products. I had the ATSF Mountain, it was a stunning engine that was better suited to be a static display rather than an engine I cared to play with. Its sounds were weak and its operating characteristics were horrible. Lionel has the best sounds and the 200 speed steps swinging bells and smoking whistles enhance the play value for me. I never grow tired of quilling the whistle or making the wheels slip on my VL Big Boy.
In a perfect world I would have a tetherless engine designed and produced by 3rd Rail with Lionel's state of the art electronics and features.
To each their own. It would be nice if we could all remember that when we state our negative opinions, however entitled you are to hold that belief, we may be inadvertently disrespecting someone else's beliefs. It does not matter how thick someone's skin is, constant poking will always be annoying.
