For real. At the Big Chute Marine Railroad along the Trent-Severn waterway, boats traverse about 100 vertical feet; not by a traditional lock system but via a cable driven carriage that runs on rails.

A powerful cable system lowers a huge steel framework down the bank on rails into the water. From somewhere on the structure comes the call for boats two and three on the blue line (the staging dock is painted blue), load first, side by side, the cabin cruiser you load last.  Boats make their way toward the frame and ease into position with the aide of lock staff that is swarming all over the steel framework.  Hydraulics whine and cables pull taught cradling the boats in wide canvas slings.  Smoothly and quietly the drive cables engage and the whole mechanism begins its ascent up the bank, a trek across level ground, then descent down the opposite bank.   Slings go slack and the boasts glide on their way.

We hang out and watch half a dozen passes. It is amazing.