Editing Derailment (section)

{{short description|Form of train incident}}
{{About||the use of the term in psychiatry|Derailment (thought disorder)|the 2011 Canadian documentary|Derailments (film)}}
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[[File:Train wreck, Leavick, c. 1897 - DPLA - 31fb7e75eaa29c21897c532951de438c (cropped).jpg|alt=Train wreck in Leavick, Colorado in 1897|thumb|Train wreck in Leavick, Colorado in 1897]]
[[File:Railroad_accident_(5219449720).jpg|thumb|right|250px|A {{c.|1890s}} picture by "C. Petersen" [[Fayette County, Texas]] [?] of a train derailment]]
[[File:Farragut derailment 2.JPG|thumb|[[2002 Farragut derailment|A derailed freight train]] in [[Farragut, Tennessee|Farragut]], [[Tennessee]] (2002)]]

[[File:Vykolejeni EC 107 v Praze 5.jpg|thumb|Detail of derailed express train in [[Prague]], Czech Republic (2007)]]
In [[rail transport]], a '''derailment''' is a type of [[train wreck]] that occurs when a rail vehicle such as a [[train]] comes off its rails. Although many derailments are minor, all result in temporary disruption of the proper operation of the railway system and they are a potentially serious hazard.

A derailment of a train can be caused by a collision with another object, an operational error (such as excessive speed through a curve), the mechanical failure of tracks (such as broken rails), or the mechanical failure of the wheels, among other causes. In emergency situations, deliberate derailment with [[derail]]s or [[catch points]] is sometimes used to prevent a more serious accident.<!--See causes below-->