I think less and less damage to either side as armor and structural integrity increase is probably the norm with trains. For example non armor vehicles are turned into fun metal tangles. This 30 ton “lightly” armored vehicle looks pretty intact. A 70 ton tank might just remain more intact as the train shunts it to the side. The train might take more superstructure damage but there’s a lot of just solid metal pushing in one direction. So I don’t think any impact like that is ever going to actually just destroy the train.
On the other hand, a pair of locomotives can easily be over 400 tons, and that’s not counting the rest of the train. Those doublestacked shipping containers on a well car can add 100 tons each.
I think less and less damage to either side as armor and structural integrity increase is probably the norm with trains. For example non armor vehicles are turned into fun metal tangles. This 30 ton “lightly” armored vehicle looks pretty intact. A 70 ton tank might just remain more intact as the train shunts it to the side. The train might take more superstructure damage but there’s a lot of just solid metal pushing in one direction. So I don’t think any impact like that is ever going to actually just destroy the train.
The armor is light, the vehicle isn’t.
On the other hand, a pair of locomotives can easily be over 400 tons, and that’s not counting the rest of the train. Those doublestacked shipping containers on a well car can add 100 tons each.