Well, if we we're running trains it'd make for an interesting conversation, or if we were sitting in a bar it'd make a good "I'll bet you a brewski on that."
I admit I am not versed in Intellectual Property rights or patent laws, but I have been an avid reader of MTH and Lionel catalogs in the last 15+ years 
and it seems to me that releasing a new model and then re-releasing ad nauseum has been the modus operandi for the importers. I still say that MTH Premier Line has some of the most unique and most interesting tooling in diecast done to date, and assuming there's market demand, someone is going to want it. I don't think its as easy to design from scratch as it may appear. There's a fair amount of complexity in designing both super-structure, chassis, and sub-assemblies. I am still amazed whenever I watch my Triplex run...truly a masterpiece in mechanical engineering.
