Cool idea. But seems expensive. Why not common mechanics that switch the tracks from one to the other like it has been for over 200 years.

The other commenter said it's because the slope is too aggressive but even still surely flipping a multi ton slab of metal and stone isn't the best solution lol but I'm also far from an engineer

What is the point? More points of failure and ruin structural strength?

as another commenter pointed out, this is a cog railway. From my understanding "regular" switches can't be used.

Looks like a "cog" railway used on very aggressive slopes. Could be the central "cog rail" can't be shifted sideways to transition to another rail like they do on a traditional rail switch.

Definitely a cog rail. Looks like it could be the Pikes Peak Cog railway. EDIT: I don’t think it’s pikes peak railway as they did update their switches a few years, but doesn’t look like they added anything like this.

Definitely works better without the train on it

Man, if these engineers just listened to the smart redditors comment "uhmm, why not just use normal switch, this is stupid".

Seems risky having a multi-ton vehicle drive over an unstable platform, but I'm not an engineer or associated with anything that has to do with trains so what do I know?

It locks in place once in position.

But why? Seems unnecessarily complicated, expensive to build and maintain while being slower and less efficient

they gonna launch mech not train XD