OK I know this is bound to cause some sparks but bear with me. I am not bashing any other manufacturers. Like many here I have a foot in both the MTH and Lionel camps, and run both about equally. Love them both, as well as all the other less prolific O gauge/scale names. This is not intended to stir up brand wars, only to document what I think are some of the important contributions that MTH has brought to the table over the years. And for sure Lionel has brought many if not more firsts too, but they have had a lot longer to do it! 
We all know that competition is good for the consumer and brings to market innovations that might not otherwise happen, as well as keeps pricing competitive. And we the consumers benefit from all this. So please read this with an open mind. These items are only what I came up with, surely there are more, and some folks will surely disagree with some points. It is put together mostly from memory, so some of the dates and details may not be exactly right. And my apologies if this has been covered elsewhere on this forum previously.
MTH Firsts and Innovations:
- DC can motors in both steam and diesel right from the start. Lionel mostly used AC “Pullmor” motors through at least 1999.
- The hugely successful Z-4000 400 watt transformer in 1997, with digital volt/amp readouts and an MSRP of $399. It has since become an industry standard and many operators have used one or more to replace old PW transformers. Lionel had nothing that rivalled it until the much more expensive ZW-L debuted. My only wish is that the Z-4000 would have been designed as a regulated transformer; meaning if you set the voltage at say 18, it would stay put regardless of loading.
- Realistic synchronized puffing smoke for steam in 2000, teamed with a prolific smoke unit. A total game changer. Anyone who first saw a puffing MTH engine was immediately hooked; I know I was. Lionel got in the game about 2003, but not consistently until Legacy in 2008. Up until about 1997 they used the anemic plunger-puffer system for steam.
- Lionel was first with command control with TMCC in the mid-1990's. DCS was released later in 2003, but with an inter-active screen display that showed what the locomotive was actually doing. And now 22 years later it is still a very useful system. Lionel had only “blind” command until the advanced Legacy system debuted in 2008. Arguably the DCS handheld is slimmer and more comfortable to use (like the Cab 1) than that of Legacy. Cab 2 usually works best with both hands.
- PS-2 and PS-3 upgrade kits. If you are handy you can upgrade an older conventional engine to DCS command control, even if it's not an MTH engine.
- PS-2/3 Stacker board kits. To enable easy plug-in replacement of failed early 5V PS-2 systems for engines from the 2000-2005 era.
- Highly detailed diesel bodies, particularly Premier FT/F3/F7/E8 models. Prototypical cooling fan shrouds, separately applied exterior handrails, operating crew doors, and cab inserts with figures. Later examples have highly detailed Blomberg trucks too. Lionel clung to the old PW F3 tooling and sparsely detailed trucks through at least 1999.
- Abundant Canadian road name offerings, right from the beginning.
- Abundant building varieties and different colors, at affordable prices.
- Lots of operating buildings & accessories plus affordable remakes of most popular Lionel operating accessories. (Notably though MTH avoided offering several for unknown reasons; like the 456 coal ramp, the 364 log loader, the 3656 cattle car, and the 342/345 culvert loader/unloader for example)
- Innovative and unusual car offerings; such as the hot metal and Schnabel cars, weedsprayer, galloping goose, etc.
- Standardized engine wiring. PS-1, PS-2 and PS-3 all use standardized connections and wire color codes, regardless of the specific engine. Legacy engines are a great step forward in this direction compared to TMCC, which are not wired consistently, and color codes are not reliable.
- Comprehensive repair parts kit. For MSRP $399 you could buy a kit of the most commonly needed MTH repair parts. This kit is incredibly handy. Two of the best features IMO are a big selection of replacement traction tires and power rollers in all MTH styles.
So that's it, and please remember I am a big fan of both the big L and MTH. I just think that some of the MTH firsts have brought O gauge trains a long way and have truly made this era in our hobby the "Golden Age." Feel free to add any comments or anything I have missed, or make any corrections.
Rod
