Dave, I talked with them several years ago about this. The reason they don't overbuild is that they end up with inventory they didn't sell and the money it cost to build it cannot be recovered.
Gilbert built the same thing year after year and the left over went into uncataloged sets and dumped on the market. The parts were interchangeable because of technology at the time. That's no longer true.
Today when Lionel dumps product on the market at greatly reduced prices dealers and buyers scream.
