Some folks have cured this problem. LA Die Casting has been making restaurant supplies out of die cast for over a half century that I know of. Door handles on Fords are all die cast, and suffer incredible abuse.
I like good die cast trains - but now I am on the alert - how do you know the GG1 body won't blossom forth in short order?
My 700-series Lionel models are older than I am, and so far no blossoming. Same with recent MTH.
But your fix, unless Lionel steps up to the plate, is lost-wax brass repros. It can be done with less than 1% shrinkage if you go to the right foundry.
