Abt Switch - Trans Megathread from October 13th, 2025 to October 19th, 2025

The Abt switch is a kind of railway switch used on funiculars (inclined cable railways) that doesn't have any moving parts. It allows two cars to pass each other going uphill/downhill while sharing the same tracks. While most train switches rely on physically moving a section of track so the train goes one way or the other, the abt switch doesn't move at all. Instead each carriage has a grooved wheel which makes it turn left or right at a junction by sticking to the track on one side.

::: spoiler Image sources https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Funicular_to_Horseshoe_Curve_viewing_area_(8999490400).jpg#mw-jump-to-license

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Funicular_layouts_(2_rails).svg#mw-jump-to-license

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Heidelberg_funicular_wheelset.jpg#mw-jump-to-license