The reason for this post, is to help both Lionel, MTH, or really any train maker, as well as anyone who reads it, the cause and effect of many things that went into at least one persons buying decisions, i.e. me.
Like most, I grew up as a baby boomer with Lionel Trainsets, that were abandoned during my college years, then resurrected in my 40's.
In 2000, I visited my family that lived in NC at the time.
One day while visiting there, and my sister in law, surprisingly took out an old Tin Plate set of trains that was either her fathers or grandfathers for us to look at.
That same day we ran off to a local train store to get them appraised.
While at the train store the owner showed us, what I believe was a TMCC demonstration, which really wowed us.
Also, seeing so many vintage post war trains in his display cases, really perked a return to trains for me.
Thus, with a stack of catalogs...Lionel, MTH, and K-Line..I spent the remainder of my vacation there analyzing the catalogs and o gauge magazine the owner gave me.
The end result, was N-gauge trains!
This was due to the few hundred dollar to $1000 cost of O gauge trains.
However, by 2003 the o gauge bug bit me and I soon had a RTR set, followed soon by several other locomotives...but they were not Lionel.
The trains I bought from 2003 - 2006 were MTH:
1) MTH CNW RTR steamer set.
2) MTH LocoSound Premier NYC Box Cab Electric
3) A MTH RK PS2 Dreyfuss Hudson
4) Two MTH RK PS2 Hudsons
5) MTH LIRR Premier PS2 DD-1
6) MTH RK Alco PA ABA
7) MTH DCS
8) Numerous MTH RK and Premier passenger cars
The reason none of these trains were Lionel was due to 2 reasons:
1) Cost...MTH trains were a lower price than Lionel for seemingly the same
2) MTH DCS was much more easier to understand for me, as Lionel TMCC just did not make any sense to me at the time...it seemed so confusing with all of its many components and I was a PC Programmer! MTH DCS with its TIU and a Power Brick seemed easy peasy and with the same features.
However, this entire collection...n-gauge, o-gauge, buildings, track, passenger cars...all of it except my MTH DCS system, some Kato Track, and my two vintage Lionel train sets were all stolen at some point bwteen when my house was put up for sale during my move from TX to VA.
As a result, when I began to rebuild my collection and layout in 2007, it was once again started by 2 MTH NYC 4-4-0 Premier Steamers, followed by some vintage Lionel, and some Williams Trains thru 2012.
It was 2013 before I actually purchased my first modern Lionel Train, a PWC TMCC Texas Special F3 A-Unit, followed by a Neil Young Signature Series F3 AA set.
Since then, I have purchased a MTH RK PS3 LIRR RS3, MTH RK PS3 LIRR MU set, Lionel Legacy WP F3 ABA set, Lionel TMCC PWC Southern ABA set, Lionel Legacy NY R-30 Red Birds transit set, Lionel TMCC SP Oil Can Tank set, and a Williams Texas Special complete F3 passenger set.
Now the point of this thread is why I by passed Lionel and went with MTH, until 2013?
The reasons are as follows in chronological order:
1) Initially I was shocked by the prices of both MTH and Lionel engines, more so by Lionel, and this carried on thru 2012.
2) I was totally confused by both Lionel TMCC and Legacy command systems based on advertisements and magazine articles, but not MTH DCS.
3) It was not until I was intrigued by the Neil Young Signature Series via OGR forum members, that even got me interested in Lionel
4) The failure of three brand new MTH LIRR MU sets "in a row"!!! began to make me question MTH PS3 quality, and consider Lionel more than MTH.
Unfortunately, at least in the case of new Lionel Legacy engines and new Lionel passenger cars, of which I lack passenger cars of any brand and really need them...
I have begun to look at older Lionel stock as well as any and all MTH and Williams stock when it comes to passenger cars, and have given up all hope for new Lionel Legacy Neil Young "sets", i.e. the complete set of engines and cars as advertised back in 2012(?).
This also includes many cancelled Lionel passenger cars.
Thus a return to MTH and to a lesser degree Williams in the passenger car catagory, but still hopeful for Lionel Legacy engine availability.
All due to Lionel mismanagement(?)
Again...I hope this post helps both Lionel, MTH, or really any train maker, as well as anyone who reads it, the cause and effect of many things that went into at least one persons buying decisions, i.e. me.
I have no brand loyaly, although I have things I recognize about each: Lionel has slightly better controlability (in conventional, all I run) and much better sound, MTH steamers are slightly better detailed and cost about 10-15% less. 
