Did Lionel cancel the ROTARY GONDOLAS 4PK and 2PK from the Signature 2017 Catalog?

Trainworld  still shows release date 12\28\18.

Those rotary gondola 2-packs and 4-packs first appeared in 2016 Volume 2.  Understand they were on the production schedule at the Romanian factory at which tooling issues arose with the long-awaited milk cars (per Mike Reagan) .  Catalog said paint schemes for the 4-packs would match previously released rotary gondolas, presenting an additional manufacturing challenge.

Ordered a 6-84010 4-pack in September 2016.  Not holding my breath but may stop breathing before the gondolas are shipped.  

I spoke with Ryan at York about the rotary gondolas.  I was told they had no expected delivery date at that time.  Lionel had not been successful in retrieving their tooling, and had lost their 50% deposit on the project.  If they can't retrieve the tooling, new tooling would have to be made if the cars are to be produced.  I think the milk cars have the same problem.  He said that the cars had not been cancelled,  but did not know when they would be produced.  

Perhaps the Lionel team should make the Johnstown America or Freight Car America or Trinity version of the Five-Bay, Open-Top, aluminum-body hoppers with rotary couplers next time. 

Those have not been produced in O scale. 

These aluminum open-top hoppers were in a BNSF freight train moving over the CN/GTW line in Michigan on March 27th, 2019. All of the rotary coupler gondolas and hoppers can be mixed together.

Andrew