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Hi, Jake I found out that almost any model loco has room for some additional weight, and that it's the best way to improve a model's pulling power. The best material is lead, but handle it with care - it's not good for your health. It's poisonous! If you decide to try it, use gloves, work on an area you can easily clean and dispose of all the filings etc., and don't forget to wash your hands thoroughly after you have finished! In the IHC/Mehano 2-6-0 steamer there might be some room in the domes on top of the boiler, in the boiler itself - as little as it seems, it'll help both the traction and the electrical contact. A friend of mine has even added a lead plate between the drivers of an old AHM/Mehano 2-8-2, glued it to the bottom of the gear cover that also holds the driving axles in place. If painted flat black, you could live with it. You must be sure that it remains above the railhead, though. I don't think you should mind about the balance here, the engine is pretty small and the overhang at the leading axle is not big. The diesels (GP40 and the U-B) should be a lot easier. Usually there's pretty much room above the motor and along the entire hood top, and at the front and rear ends of the hoods, also in the cab (you can leave the windows free, fill just from the bottom to the lower end of the window, and from the upper end of the window to the top of the cab roof, paint black to "hide" it - even with simple elementary-school watercolors - very useful type of colors for a modeler, by the way). The trick is to leave enough space for all the moving parts to be able to move or turn freely. Unfortunately, Mehano models (your 2-6-0 and the Yugoslavian U-B, Slovenia was once a part of Yugoslavia), are made almost entirely of plastic, including their axle bearings, and the axles of the diesel, so adding weight will put stress on these bearings. It would help to keep them lubricated, preferably with a little grease because oil could easily flow to the wheels/rails and then you'll have even more slipping and dirt accumulation. Newer IHC/Mehano diesels have new, better motors inside them, I'm not sure if they are 3 or 5-pole, with rather small flywheels, but better than nothing. Maybe those parts could be found on some swap-meet (train show), or you could pick up a bargain (damaged?) IHC SD-40 and take out the drive, just make sure it has the newer motor with flywheels. Have fun, Oliver [:)]
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