Really simply, bumping posts will stop a train, train car or cut of cars, provided the impact by such on the post is low speed. Of less importance, bumping posts are one of the more recognizable appurtenances one can find on the railroad. When landing eyes upon them, it’s immediately known by nearly all, exactly what this “car stopper” is used to do.
Now on to the derail. When placed — or put in place — on the railhead portion of the railroad rail, this device is designed to purposely derail a piece of rail-borne rolling stock, the aim here to prevent such rail-borne rolling stock, when on a side track and derail-protected, from colliding with some other piece of rail- or track-borne equipment. Or, if not that, then to keep another such piece of equipment, if inadvertently misdirected, from running into that equipment which the derail is supposed to protect. A crude way of putting things, perhaps, but the explanation should suffice still.
There are various types of derails, they come in a number of different configurations, and all are effective in carrying out their intended purpose. When no longer needed, such derails can be removed or temporarily disabled.
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