[Bluestrike2]

Specifically, they're called snow sheds[0] as they're angled to capture and hold snow deposits, serving as a physical obstacle to accumulated snow that could then later slide. The big risk there would be a slab avalanche,[1] possibly triggered by the funicular's own vibrations. Because the snow sheds are directly supporting any heavy deposits of snow, they isolate the slab from a weaker snowpack that'd otherwise be underneath it.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_shed

[1] https://www.meted.ucar.edu/afwa/avalanche/navmenu.php?tab=1&...