Lifelike built locomotives as good as Kato and Atlas since the late 1980s, the Lifelike EMD E8s I think ran as good or better than anything else on the market.

The same goes for the Lifelike Proto 2000  models in HO scale, stunning performers and every bit as good as Kato and Atlas,  snob value is not worth two bob.

Sadly much of the Lifelike stuff is not available since Walthers bought the company out.