Earl and everyone else, I'm going through a bit of a hard time now and I was thinking to myself tonight that I have a roof over my head, food to eat and shoes on my feet. I know it sounds so cliche, but the reality is those simple things make me among the richest people in the world, since (hard to believe in our American culture) there are still many in this world who lack these simple things.
As far as trains, I've learned to take a little more of a backseat on making critical comments about all the new technology. Obviously people are buying it and hopefully enjoying it. On the other hand, one does seem to read more posts about frustrations with the new high end technology and related trains.
I too enjoy my more simplistic conventional less-than-prototypical 027 kinds of trains. I know they're not the best available today. But that's not why I buy or run trains - just to have the best. I run for fun, not frustration. And with my more modern-era (but totally conventional) DC can motored locos, I have had good luck.... even with early ones first made by Lionel MPC. And any troubles I have had are not too complicated for me to either fix or make revisions to. Sure, sometimes they can be a pain to fix, but they are repairable and I can always find parts.
Keeping the trains simple could possibly be not as much fun, but they are also a lot less trouble. And that can ultimately lead to more fun. What's the point of having the best looking, most realistic, most up-to-date train if it doesn't work and parts are not available?