Monongahela Incline
Encyclopedia
The Monongahela Incline, built by John Endres
John Endres (engineer)
John J. Endres was a civil engineer. Born in Prussia, he later resided in Cincinnati, Ohio. He designed the Monongahela Incline, the first passenger incline in the United States, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The incline was originally steam powered and ran on wooden tracks. His daughter, Caroline...
in 1870, is
located near the Smithfield Street Bridge
Smithfield Street Bridge
The Smithfield Street Bridge is a lenticular truss bridge crossing the Monongahela River in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.The bridge was designed by Gustav Lindenthal, the engineer who later designed the Hell Gate Bridge. The bridge was built between 1881–83, opening for traffic on March 19, 1883....
in Pittsburgh. It is the oldest continuously operating funicular
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 USA. It is also one of two surviving inclines (the other is the nearby Duquesne Incline
Duquesne Incline
The Duquesne Incline is a inclined plane railroad, or funicular, located near Pittsburgh's South Side neighborhood and scaling Mt. Washington. Designed by Samuel Diescher, the incline was completed in 1877 and is long, in height, and is inclined at a 30 degree angle...
) from the original 17 passenger-carrying inclines built in Pittsburgh starting in the late 19th century. Its lower station is across the street from the Station Square
Station Square
Station Square is a indoor and outdoor shopping, dining and entertainment complex located in the South Shore neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
shopping complex, and is easily accessible from the light rail system at the Station Square station
Station Square (PAT station)
Station Square is a Transit station on the Port Authority of Allegheny County's light rail network. It is the last Transit station on the south side of the Monongahela River.This station is named for the nearby mixed-use development Station Square...
.
History
Pittsburgh's expanding industrial base in 1860 created a huge demand for labor, attracting mainly German immigrants to the region. This created a serious housing shortage as industry occupied most of the flat lands adjacent to the river, leaving only the steep, surrounding hillsides of Mt. WashingtonMount Washington (Pittsburgh)
Mount Washington is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's south city area. It has a zip code of 15211 and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by both the council members for District 3 and District 2 .It is known for its steep hill overlooking the Pittsburgh skyline, which was...
or "Coal Hill" for housing. However, travel between the "hill" and other areas was hindered by a lack of good roads or public transport.
The predominantly German immigrants who settled on Mt. Washington, remembering the Seilbahns (cable cars
Aerial tramway
An aerial tramway , cable car , ropeway or aerial tram is a type of aerial lift which uses one or two stationary ropes for support while a third moving rope provides propulsion...
) of their former country, proposed the construction of inclines along the face of Coal Hill. The result was the Monongahela Incline, which opened May 28, 1870. Earlier inclines were used to transport coal in the Pittsburgh area, including the Kirk Lewis incline on Mt. Washington and the Ormsby mine gravity plane
Keeling Coal Company
The Keeling Coal Company was a nineteenth century mining company in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Its mines were part of the Pittsburgh Coalfield.-Ormsby Mine and Gravity Plane:...
in nearby Birmingham, later annexed to the city of Pittsburgh.
It is operated by the Port Authority of Allegheny County
Port Authority of Allegheny County
Port Authority of Allegheny County is the second-largest public transit agency in Pennsylvania and the 11th-largest in the United States. When considering that its service area is the 20th largest in the U.S...
, which operates the rest of Pittsburgh's transit system. Transfers can be made between the incline and the light rail and buses.
Statistics
- Length: 635 feet (193.5 m)
- Elevation: 369.39 feet (112.6 m)
- Grade: 35 degrees, 35 minutes
- Gauge:
- Speed: 6 mph (2.7 m/s)
- Passenger Capacity: 23 per car
- Opened: 28 May 1870
- Renovated: 1882 (with steel structure)
- Original steam power replaced with electricity: 1935
- Renovated: 1982-83 new track structure, cars and stations
- Renovated: 1994 upper, lower stations, restored cars, replaced electric motors and controls
Gallery
See also
- Duquesne InclineDuquesne InclineThe Duquesne Incline is a inclined plane railroad, or funicular, located near Pittsburgh's South Side neighborhood and scaling Mt. Washington. Designed by Samuel Diescher, the incline was completed in 1877 and is long, in height, and is inclined at a 30 degree angle...
- Monongahela Freight InclineMonongahela Freight InclineThe Monongahela Freight Incline was a funicular railway that scaled Mount Washington in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.Designed by Samuel Diescher and John Endres, the incline was built in 1883 beside the smaller, original Monongahela Incline. The incline cost $125, 000 to build...
- Angels FlightAngels FlightAngels Flight is a landmark funicular railway in the Bunker Hill district of Downtown Los Angeles, California. It has two funicular cars, Sinai and Olivet ....
- Johnstown Inclined PlaneJohnstown Inclined PlaneThe Johnstown Inclined Plane is a funicular in Johnstown, Cambria County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The incline and its two stations connect the city of Johnstown, situated in a valley at the confluence of the Stonycreek and the Little Conemaugh Rivers, to the borough of Westmont on Yoder...
- Funicular railwayFunicularA 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...
- List of funicular railways
- Port Authority of Allegheny County: The Inclines