If a super wealthy person buys two engines and they're both from the same batch, they'll both fall apart. So that's not an insurance policy!
I was fine with the "generic" postwar body styles produced in large numbers, and cast-in detail. IMO the only thing needed was a high-ratio worm drive retrofit, so they would operate smoothly at scale speeds. A new chassis for the old bodies, like K-Line's Marx-derived steam loco (but with a flywheel this time!) Instead, we get newly tooled scale models in every catalog, filled to the brim with complex electronics. Which is great, as long as you have a McMansion to accommodate O72 curves. Or a basement. Some of us don't want to live where it's cold ;-)
It's true that Lionel's original flagship 700e suffered from Zinc Pest. But the world was a different place then, and most importantly they stood behind their product. After 25-30 years Standard Gauge trains developed issues too. Collecting and restoring them was part of the impetus for the creation of the TCA. (There was no Internet in 1954!) Folks like McCoy, MEW, and Hennings stepped up to reproduce wheels and other key parts. A lot of those Standard Gauge pieces are operable today because of their contributions.
Recently someone affiliated with Hennings cast new side frames for the Lionel Scale GG1. This was a major success story! I have a lot of hope for 3D printing too. All this being said, I am indeed "gun shy" about today's high-priced, limited production offerings. I think more standardization of parts and sub-assemblies is necessary to ensure survival of the hobby, even if it comes at the cost of realism. It's your money, but in the words of the immortal Mike Brady "Caveat emptor!"
