As someone who has re gauged G. To run on STD ga. And made my own STD ga berk.
I don't see this 250 thou for tooling. the motors and side plates just need to be modified. For any wheel arrangements.
With computer..done in minutes. As I have said in other posts.. They are to expensive.. Except for upper income..
They are missing out on the lower .Income sales..
They also need to get back to selling to discount stores.. That's where my first Lionel train came from..