Rail Repair

[Outlaw Josey Wales]

Supply is not traced using Rail movement, and in many scenarios the attacker has no rail capacity. The effects of rail damage is thus small, even in larger campaigns. As blown rail bridges can never be repaired, the ability to use Rail movement beyond the initial frontline is limited unless Wired bridges are used and only bridges in the rear of the initial frontline area Wired.

Though I agree that most units being able to damage rail lines might be too forgiving, you need to tear up an entire rail line to make sure the enemy can't use it. Units can switch to Rail mode and use rail movement through any non-damaged rail hex, there's no check to determine if rail movement can be changed to the edge of the map. The ability to use Rail movement is also quite forgiving, not just the rail damage mechanism.

Also, need to remember, that Western Europe was the same gauge.  Russia, I think, was using a smaller gauge.  The Germans had to rebuild the rail lines in order to use them.  The Russians had to do the same when heading West.