I started out with an American Flyer set; it had a 4-4-2 marked "Reading Lines", a brown Pennsy gondola, a silver Gulf tank car, and a red AF caboose. It had enough track to do a figure-8, but no crossover. Instead, it had a set of heavy cardboard trestles that you had to put together, to make an over-and-under figure 8.
I'd always wanted a train set... Christmas when I was 4 years old, Dad told me "no", but Grandpa thought differently and bought me the AF set. Two years later, Dad (and Mom) got me into HO with an Athearn train set. I continued to play with my AF trains, but as years went by, I played with the AF less and less... I've still got my American Flyer stuff, packed away in boxes in our basement -- but I'd bet it's been 15-20 years since I've had them out.
One of my best friends had a Lionel set with the ATSF Warbonnet units; I enjoyed playing with them, but after American Flyer and then HO, I thought the Lionel was too "clunky". Also, my friend was more interested in how fast they could go, rather than a slight resemblance to "railroading". When he got a slot car set in the mid-60's, the Lionels were boxed up to make way for a slot car track. I have no idea what ever happened to them...
Regards,
Tom Stockton