[Boss Boomer]

I don't know...in both the cases you guys cite--K-line and Life-like--they weren't really anybody's competition because they were rather inferior to the companies they were going against.

I'm no expert, but what I've seen of K-line, it was a long way down the scale of decent gear compared to Lionel. And Life-like...they were always toys of not very good quality for as long as I've known of them. They couldn't even be considered in the same class as Walthers vastly superior model works...unless Life-like has dramatically improved in the last 10-13 years or so that I was away from the hobby. I know I've walked past those sets in TRU but without noticing any significant "eye-catching" improvements that I know about.

I know Bachmann has made amazing strides at quality improvements--seen 'em in the hobby shops--but Life-like and Tyco always were "two-week Christmas-tree fodder." Ya buy them for the old obligatory "train under the Christmas tree" and about the time you throw away the dried-out tree, ya also toss the now non-working, broken bits and pieces that used to be a Tyco or Life-like set. Have things changed so much?

Not trying to offend anybody's sensitivities, if ya happen to admire Life-like or K-line, but that's just my opinion.