I learned how to sew on my mother's featherweight (my sis has it now....but I keep trying to talk her out of it! ;) )
I have 3 treadles...and love them all! I use the Singer 9W the most so far...the 66-1's cabinet is at the "Wood Doctor's"...and I have the Wheeler & Wilson 8, which works fine but doesn't get used because I'm afraid of hurting the decals! (From what I understand, Wheeler & Wilson decals are quite fragile)
While I didn't have early exposure to a treadle, I do so love mine, and would most likely give up my Janome before I parted with any of them!