diff --git a/src/main/java/net/tfminecraft/vehicleframework/vehicles/handlers/train/Connector.java b/src/main/java/net/tfminecraft/vehicleframework/vehicles/handlers/train/Connector.java
index d770d1f..e93e49e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/tfminecraft/vehicleframework/vehicles/handlers/train/Connector.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/tfminecraft/vehicleframework/vehicles/handlers/train/Connector.java
@@ -51,6 +51,11 @@ public Vector positionAt(TrackPose pose) {
 		return offsetAt(pose).add(new Vector(pose.x, pose.y, pose.z));
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Places a car so this coupler meets {@code target} seen from above. The car keeps the
+	 * height of its own rail: where the grade changes between two cars, their couplers
+	 * sit at different heights, and meeting exactly would lift or sink the car off its track.
+	 */
 	public TrackPose coupledPose(TrackPose nominal, Vector target) {
 		double dx = target.getX() - nominal.x;
 		double dz = target.getZ() - nominal.z;
@@ -58,7 +63,7 @@ public TrackPose coupledPose(TrackPose nominal, Vector target) {
 				? (float) Math.toDegrees(Math.atan2(-dx, dz)) : nominal.yaw;
 		TrackPose facing = new TrackPose(nominal.x, nominal.y, nominal.z, yaw, nominal.pitch);
 		Vector offset = offsetAt(facing);
-		return new TrackPose(target.getX() - offset.getX(), target.getY() - offset.getY(),
+		return new TrackPose(target.getX() - offset.getX(), nominal.y,
 				target.getZ() - offset.getZ(), yaw, nominal.pitch);
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/test/java/net/tfminecraft/vehicleframework/vehicles/handlers/train/ConnectorTest.java b/src/test/java/net/tfminecraft/vehicleframework/vehicles/handlers/train/ConnectorTest.java
index 87e66f9..aee1478 100644
--- a/src/test/java/net/tfminecraft/vehicleframework/vehicles/handlers/train/ConnectorTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/net/tfminecraft/vehicleframework/vehicles/handlers/train/ConnectorTest.java
@@ -58,11 +58,27 @@ void passengerFrontMeetsLocomotiveBackWithRealPivotsAndBaseRotation(
         TrackPose nominal = new TrackPose(96, 64, 194, yaw - 25, pitch);
         TrackPose coupled = front.coupledPose(nominal, back.positionAt(parent));
         Vector renderedFront = renderedAnchor(coupled, PASSENGER_FRONT, new Vector3f(), -entityYaw, size);
-        assertEquals(0, expectedBack.distance(renderedFront), 1e-5);
+        // Couplers meet seen from above; the car stays at its own rail height.
+        assertEquals(0, Math.hypot(expectedBack.getX() - renderedFront.getX(),
+                expectedBack.getZ() - renderedFront.getZ()), 1e-5);
+        assertEquals(nominal.y, coupled.y, 1e-9);
         assertEquals(pitch, coupled.pitch);
         assertEquals(new Vector3f(0, 15f / 16, 78f / 16), PASSENGER_FRONT);
     }
 
+    @Test
+    void carOnLevelTrackBehindLocomotiveOnGradeStaysOnItsRail() {
+        // Lab case: locomotive 11 degrees nose down, passenger car still on the level.
+        Connector back = connector(LOCO_BACK, LOCO_PIVOT, 88, new Vector3f(1));
+        Connector front = connector(PASSENGER_FRONT, new Vector3f(), 88, new Vector3f(1));
+        TrackPose loco = new TrackPose(5449.57, 430.384, 3462.5, 88.4f, 11.1f);
+        TrackPose nominal = new TrackPose(5457.82, 432.0, 3462.49, 88.4f, 0f);
+        TrackPose coupled = front.coupledPose(nominal, back.positionAt(loco));
+        assertEquals(432.0, coupled.y, 1e-9);
+        assertEquals(nominal.x, coupled.x, 0.5);
+        assertEquals(nominal.z, coupled.z, 0.5);
+    }
+
     private static Vector renderedAnchor(TrackPose pose, Vector3f point, Vector3f pivot,
             float entityYaw, Vector3f scale) {
         Vector3d result = new Matrix4d().translation(pose.x, pose.y, pose.z)