In terms of switching, if the tripcock animation is possible, then animated switches are too. What the OP is implying is that on certain switches in the city, the train operator needs to punch the box in order to get the switch to move to the desired position. So as a train pulls into the station in OpenBVE, the switch can be in the default position. Then as the signal clears to allow the train to proceed onward, the switch can move into the position for the train to travel properly. That is all that is implied.