Maid of the Mist Incline
Encyclopedia
The Maid of the Mist Incline, originally known as the Clifton Incline, was a funicular railway
in the city of Niagara Falls
, Ontario
, Canada
. The line was built to convey patrons of the Maid of the Mist
boat tour, and linked the foot of Clifton Hill to the boat dock below.
The line was built, as the Clifton Incline, in 1894. It was 50 metres (165 feet) long, was electrically hauled, and passengers were carried in two small 12-seater cars. The track splits near the bottom to allow for cars to pass. A station is located near the top of the incline. The line was renamed as the Maid of the Mist Incline in 1973, without any change to the method of operation or capacity.
The increasing size of the vessels used on the Maid of the Mist tour meant that more capacity was required, and the line was rebuilt between 1976 and 1977. When it reopened, it was served by new 24-seater cars which made the journey in 45 seconds. However even these proved inadequate for traffic, and the line finally closed in 1990 when it was replaced by a set of four elevator
s. Although the line has been closed since 1990 and is somewhat overgrown, both the track and the 1977 cars are still in situ.
Funicular
A funicular, also known as an inclined plane or cliff railway, is a cable railway in which a cable attached to a pair of tram-like vehicles on rails moves them up and down a steep slope; the ascending and descending vehicles counterbalance each other.-Operation:The basic principle of funicular...
in the city of Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls, Ontario
Niagara Falls is a Canadian city on the Niagara River in the Golden Horseshoe region of Southern Ontario. The municipality was incorporated on June 12, 1903...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The line was built to convey patrons of the Maid of the Mist
Maid of the Mist
The Maid of the Mist is a boat tour of Niagara Falls. The boat starts off at a calm part of the Niagara River, near the Rainbow Bridge, and takes its passengers past the American and Bridal Veil Falls, then into the dense mist of spray inside the curve of the Horseshoe...
boat tour, and linked the foot of Clifton Hill to the boat dock below.
The line was built, as the Clifton Incline, in 1894. It was 50 metres (165 feet) long, was electrically hauled, and passengers were carried in two small 12-seater cars. The track splits near the bottom to allow for cars to pass. A station is located near the top of the incline. The line was renamed as the Maid of the Mist Incline in 1973, without any change to the method of operation or capacity.
The increasing size of the vessels used on the Maid of the Mist tour meant that more capacity was required, and the line was rebuilt between 1976 and 1977. When it reopened, it was served by new 24-seater cars which made the journey in 45 seconds. However even these proved inadequate for traffic, and the line finally closed in 1990 when it was replaced by a set of four elevator
Elevator
An elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building, vessel or other structures...
s. Although the line has been closed since 1990 and is somewhat overgrown, both the track and the 1977 cars are still in situ.