Proper weight for an HO 2-6-0

I have the IHC 2-6-0 in HO Scale, and I don't think it weighs enough I weighed it at 12 oz. Is this correct, it's been running lightly and I don't it is heavy enough for electrical conductivity.

A good rule of thumb when weighting locomotives is that "Too much weight is when the drivers can no longer slip". When a locomotive reaches a point where the load is greater than it's ability and the weight is so great that the force on the drive wheels is to great to allow some slip you will damage the motor.
Mike

NMRA rule of thumb is an HO engine should weigh at least one pound, 16 ounces. You can add weights provided the motor can take the additional load. Watch the amperage draw of the engine, if it exceeds one half Amp, and starts climbing to one Amp you are overloading it. And of course if the motor starts to smoke, good luck. By my own yardstick, I will not play with an engine that has a three pole motor, nor will I buy one. I prefer engines with five or even seven pole motors. They are hefty and can take the load.

Using a Lenz decoder or an ESU you can get thouse Rivarossi and IHC 3 pole motors to run great, and even pull great too. My friend has a challenger thats probably half the weight of the Athearn or Lionel one, pulls better, runs better and doesnt give us any trouble. Motor control is a big thing over even just weight. My Atlas ALP44 is a great example. DC/DCC with standard decoder it pulls 4-5 coaches. With a BackEMF decoder, pulls about 10 on flat surfaces, 8 up and down grades...

This was originally a PEMCO product taken over and produced now for IHC
by its European supplier. To cut a long story short; the PEMCO unit was tender
driven and great performer (see Higgins' test in old MODEL RAILROAD JOURNAL).
Go to Timonium show, or similar, and pick up a PEMCO version at one of the many dealers
thereat. Then after doing the weight additions as suggested by others here,
swap the tender for the powered PEMCO version, and you will have a unit
that will pull everything in the yard out of town.
Good-Luck, PJB