Adding weights to passenger cars to stop derailments?

[RobertInOntario]

I don't think weight ever really helps, i think it just hides problems. True, it is possible for a car to be underweight, and that would make it extra jumpy. However, there seems to be an obession with loading down cars with ridiculous amounts of weight. I feel that passenger cars and the long cars like autoracks suffer the most from the NMRA's "weight formula".

I notice that in my Walthers Comet commuter cars, additional weight causes drag on the wheels, holding my trains up. Meanwhile, at factory weight, they perform extremely well even on bad track, while being pushed at top speed, even through switches.

That's what I've been wondering -- I've become cynical of adding weight b/c of mixed results. However, in this case, it seems to be working.

Basically, when these trucks pass through a couple curves, you can actually see them lifting & rising up from the track almost as if there is a shape or angle problem (with the trucks or the track). I noticed that, if I pushed these cars through the offending curves while gently pushing down on the coaches, they would stay on the track.

This prompted me to add the weights to see if the same thing happened, and so far, it has, i.e. the trucks seem to be staying on the rails.

This is all trial and error!

Thx,