[TangibleDisgust]

the drive sprocket is powered. without tank treads on the vehicle, it would just spin and there would be no movement. you need tracks/treads to cause movement. just like on a bulldozer.

what the Germans did have were narrower transport tracks for their larger vehicles (e.g., Tiger I and Tiger II) so that they could fit on standard rail cars without overhanging the sides and pass through tunnels, by other trains, and such.

they would install these tracks before loading the vehicles onto the rail cars, and at the destination, switch back.

here's a pic with a Tiger I fitted with transport tracks, with the wider combat tracks stowed underneath.

[CitizenUSA]

Interesting fact. The wider tracks make sense in the field, but I can see how narrow ones would be better for transport. Tigers weren’t exactly small tanks.

[headstamp 2]

That armor looks like weld beads.