Large cargo train routes operational on mainland Europe for example during world wars. I am aware there were armour and turrets on the trains themselves but how were long stretches of rail protected from sabotage?
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through the use of anti-access/area denial weapons like mines and surface-to-air missiles at key infrastructure pieces like depots and rail yards. Those are the pieces that can’t easily be replaced or repaired during a war. Both the US and [Russian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Railway_Troops) army have entire units dedicated to the repair of rail infrastructure. 20 miles of straight rail isn’t going to be defended the same way as a bridge crossing a river is.
Mostly they weren’t. Even today, railway lines aren’t really defended – not because no one thinks to target them, but more because it’s trivially easy to repair long stretches of open rail.
For example, in the ongoing Ukraine war, Russia is very reliant on railways to supply their troops. Ukraine mostly doesn’t bother trying to attack the tracks themselves, because it’s basically a waste of precious ammunition. Even if they can hit the tracks (which they can with precise Western munitions, if the tracks are within a certain distance), Russia can simply repair the tracks in a matter of hours.
Stations and bridges are still worth attacking, but since they are fixed points they also tend to be much better defended.
Air defense at marshaling yards, which were major targets. Also, at bridges. Plain track is easy to fix. Basically, if your enemy has free roam of your skies, then you are screwed logistically. Especially since after major targets are hit, there is no reason not to take potshots at targets of opportunity.
Modernly, it is about keeping enough threat up that they have to make attacks from longer away and be pickier about targets.
Railroad tracks, let alone moving trains were very hard to strike from the air with the unguided bombs used in WW2. That, along with the relative ease of repairs made them unproductive targets to the most part.
My father spent time guarding rails in the war on the eastern front. I know very little details since he wouldn’t talk about it. But I know he had to kill a man in hand-to-hand combat who was trying to conduct sabotage.
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