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Didn't Lionel make this unit for a while now I thought since 2005 or something like that..?
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I guess if we read between the lines here, it's a statement on how fast the technology treadmill can move beyond it's ability to continue making items and replacement parts for things that have been in production for 5-10 years. 
Regarding the Lionel 990 set... I honestly don't know what to believe anymore. The "corporate party line" about Lionel refusing/rejecting inferior quality parts may be true, but it also sounds a bit too convenient as well... placing the blame fully on overseas manufacturing instead of product planning and forsight. Gotta put all of this in perspective when we ask questions about new product and are told, "We (i.e., Lionel stateside) don't know until we receive a sample from the manufacturer." 
Time will tell. Meanwhile, unless you find someone willing to sell theirs for a reasonable price, it really is the wild, wild West out there -- even among established dealers. They smell blood and the 990 sets are fetching premium prices... almost worse than a set of Vision Line tankers with freight sounds!!! 
David
I think you nailed this one Dave. Funny you mentioned the technology leaps, I was thinking the same thing. Just finished watching Lionel youtube videos and learning about the difference in TMCC, Legacy and Legacy versions.
Not straying away on topic here, but if I was a company and my subcontractor couldn't get the job done, I would be looking at alternate means (read:doing whatever necessary to get my product corrected and delivered to customers). This has been going on for too long. Legacy is one of their major products, correct it. People only have so much patience, time is ticking away...
I bought several Legacy engines after returning to the hobby before I learned on this forum about the issue with Legacy systems. That's on me, not blaming anybody but myself. I'll continue to wait because I refuse to pay the price gouging on E-bay (just looked $695/$1,500) and other sources.
