Why don't trains get derailed very often?

As others have mentioned, the sheer weight of the train is usually enough to crush through any debris, or push them aside. An exception would be if the item in question was strong enough to be dragged and damage the tracks. read more

That said, trains do derail every so often, but unless it causes a major calamity it doesn’t really get reported. If an engine picks a switch and the first set of wheels falls onto the ballast, it could be as easy as installing a portable re-railer and backing the locomotive up over onto the tracks. Many times, they don’t even use that. read more

But trains don't derail unless the wheels are lifted in such a way the flanges are able to climb o'er the rails.. So if you've been thinking it's the loco pilot and the police escort who ensure you a safe travel.. read more

Trains do not derail often in the US, and the overwhelming majority of train derailments are by freight trains, not passenger trains. Today, rails are much higher quality in years past and are checked regularly such that the most major cause for derailments by a train is now quite rare in the US, typically occurring now due to extreme hot or cold weather instead. read more