@Lionelski, actually just for your info, Williams by Bachmann was the last contractor of brand new 027 track, made at the Kader (former Sanda Kan) facility, which made the K-Line and Lionel 027 track. Though to my recollection WBB only made actual 027 radius curves, straight tracks, track pins and an uncoupling track. I don't remember if they initially made any wider radius curves, or extended length straight tracks. I know they did not make any switch tracks.
This issue for the manufacturer is how quickly the production run goes out of stock. Their need for it to sell in a timely fashion is more important. The WBB 027 tubular track is now also in short supply and hard to find, but this was not always the circumstance. It took a number of years for this to happen.
As you mentioned, Lionel stopping making 027 track long before it went out of stock - at least on a distributor level. It is in the manufacturer's interest for any product (even one continually cataloged) to go out of stock on a quicker time frame, so that they can have more made.
