While it was traveling on rails, the vehicle’s overall design is definitely that of a truck. This isn’t just some cosmetic vehicular cosplay, either, as it’s equipped with a full set of four wheels and tires, which are suspended in the air as the raised vehicle moves along the track.

So if it’s not quite a truck and not quite a train, then what is it? In Japanese, it’s called a “kirikusha,” which literally means “rail/land vehicle.” Kirikusha are used for train network construction and maintenance, where trains themselves are ironically not a viable option since the track itself is unusable at the project site.

But how do kirikusha switch between rail to road? The simplest method is to simply use rail crossings. Instead of driving across them like single-surface trains and cars, kirikusha make a 90-degree turn and then extend or compact their rail-use wheels.

According to WORLD RECORDS UNION – Worldkings.org