Redstone torch: powers redstone, or inverts a signal given to the bloc it is on.
Not exactly a block that have many uses by itself...
While I understand your point, I think there are already plenty of single block machines that you could use to do nearly everything.
I personally do like the fact that Forestry is now adding a single machine to do the wok of both, even if that means having to use a multi block structure.
You are completely free to use just parts of the mods, they just give you tools, you are still free to play even vanilla while having all those mods.
My point is that you can use what you prefer to build what you want, that's what Minecraft is about, right? Mods just add more complex machines and stuff to play and experiment with, and let the players use them in the way they want.