Grampstrains posted:jhz563 posted:It looks like almost everything is plastic on the lionel engines except the tender trucks. The lionel ones are also using the lionchief electronics, while mth is using standard dcs for command control. Also, while ou get two engines for that price from lionel, which is very nice, you do only get one gold colored lionchief universal remote, where as most lionchief purchases comes with one remote per loco.
Both offerings are more traditional toy train sized. Lionel is also coming out with more scale replica models with legacy electronics, but be prepared to bump up to $1100 a piece. And even then the electronics are small enough to fit the smoke and sound into the engine and tender so you'll get a beautiful model of the original engines that doesn't smoke and you'll need an extra sound car if you want to hear anything.
As always it will all come down to preference and budget. Lionchief gets you the most loco's for your buck, but no command control to if you are trying to integrate into an existing control scheme other than conventional. MTh will get you dcs control and all the associated bells and whistles (literally) but still be a little more toy like in proportions in order to get everything shoe horned inside.
Lionel legacy will look great but, in my opinion only, be more of a show piece than an operator piece if sound and smoke is your bag.
If you pull the trigger on something please post pictures.
JHZ563
One universal remote will control three engines. No need for two.
There is a need for two if you want to control each smoothly without having to toggle back and forth.
