No. I never run my trains fast enough to derail on curves, especially not the highly detailed models. Most locos today have speed control. So even if a loco uncouples from the train and keeps going, it shouldn't speed up to the point of derailing.
And that brings me to another sore point... the gear ratios. Most of our models are geared too tall! You have the biggest layout I know of. You MIGHT have a need for more than 60 mph on your long straightaways. For the rest of us working with a couple of 4x8's, two feet per second is plenty fast. Using a lower gear ratio would prevent damage in those instances when a command control loco DOES take off at full speed. From reading these boards I know it happens sometimes, and the current "safety" programming doesn't seem to prevent it.
Finally there's the option to put halt / panic buttons at strategic locations around the layout. Cut the power and they'll stop no matter what their on-board circuitry is telling them to do.
I've been to the New Jersey Hi-Railers layout twice and saw the frustration with my own eyes. Even our 20 x 28 club layout was sometimes plagued with stalling because of weak / lost signal. I stand by my original recommendation: put an OPTIONAL setting in the software (or a jumper on the circuit board) to keep going at the SAME speed if you lose the signal. Some of us would be better off, and nobody would be worse off. My $.02.
