Any reason that they can't get it right?...What's your experience?

[cjcrescent]

Cacole;
Except for the height standard on couplers what you say is true. The NMRA has had a coupler height standard since the 1950's at least. Coupler type supplied with the model has played a major role in setting height. There are no standards as to what rating bulbs are used in what model, weight of locomotives, couplers on front of locomotives or electrical pickup. I believe that DCC will set a defacto standard on the bulbs eventually , and there is some progress in the weight and pickup problems, i.e. Spectrum, Proto, Atlas, Kato, all of these advocate max weight and max pickup. More manufacturers are also providing provisions for operating couplers on the front of the locomotives if not couplers themselves. There is progress in these areas, but sometimes not as fast as we would like.

[cacole]

Part of the problem stems from the fact that there is no true standard set by the NMRA or MRIA for any of these items, so the manufacturers will just continue to turn out whatever people will buy, and do it as cheaply as possible . As long as the modeling public is content to purchase these items, nothing will change.

[mikebonellisr]

I'm getting a little annoyed with spending top dollar for models that need to be fiddled with in order to meet nmra standards, or just plain commcn sense.
Example:Engines that are'DCC' ready, but the headlight & back-up bulbs are not,...Non operating front couplers...Engines that are not heavy enough...Not enough electrical pick-up...Established companys that still produce models whose couplers don't match a KD height guage.On and On and On.