It occurred to me that with all challenges a working person faces in today's world that gratitude is still a keystone of a healthy life. I've been working for 35 years and have another 8-12 to go, and honestly some days I don't know how I am going to make it. And, the last thing I need is problems with toy trains. Yet, despite the problems I've had with the recent Lionel heavyweight cars, I have to give them the nod when it comes to friendly and helpful customer service, and the same goes to my primary dealer, Charles Ro.
I also have to tip the hat to Lionel's exciting line of products, from Legacy steam engines with whistle steam, Legacy Railsounds, which are awesome, freight cars with sound effects, and my favorite line, the scale Polar Express. Lionel's most recent catalog is inspiring. The designers are thinking outside the box and offering neat and fun trains and accessories; it's actually an incredible catalog.
I have about equal amounts of MTH and Lionel steam engines and freight cars, so I am not a brand loyalist by any measure. However, Lionel is demonstrating to me that they're always working on new and innovative features, and whistle steam effect is now almost standard on the scale steamers. Lionel can be more expensive, but not always as their recent H10 steamers were actually lower than MTH Premier version. Lionel seems to go after exciting and nostalgic licensing deals, and while I pass on most of them, save the Polar Express, these items very well may generate a high-level of interest in all ages.
Quality definitely has to improve. And, we the consumers have to hold our dealers and train companies responsible. If a consumer doesn't bother opening, examining, and test-running a new train purchase then that's part of the problem since the dealers/companies will not know the true defect rate of an item's production run.
This all came to me as I realized the underlying motivation for me staying in the hobby and endeavoring to build my layout. Its not the scale aspect or building a layout worthy of publication, but rather maintaining a youthful outlook - which anyone regardless of age can do - and hopefully sharing that with others. Lionel is keeping with that theme and tradition, or so it seems to me.
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Was sad they cancelled that set. Had my dealer willing to break up a set so I could just buy that car and everything. 
