Samuel Diescher
Encyclopedia
Samuel Diescher, a prominent civil and mechanical engineer, was born in Budapest
, educated at Karlsruhe Polytechnique and at the University of Zurich
. Coming to the United States in 1866, he settled in Cincinnati
, where he built his first inclined plane. He came to Pittsburgh and was associated with John Endres
, the builder of the Monongahela Incline
. He married Endres daughter, Caroline Endres, who was one of the first female engineers in the United States. Thereafter, the Dieschers made their home on Mount Washington. His sons entered into partnership with him in 1901, under the name of Samuel Diescher & Sons.
Diescher designed water works, industrial buildings and plants, coal handling equipment, furnaces for the steel industry, and miscellaneous machinery for tasks ranging from soap making to steel fabrication to sugar beet processing. He also designed the majority of inclined planes in the United States, including numerous inclines in Pittsburgh and southwestern Pennsylvania. The most notable of these is the Duquesne Incline
which has become a popular tourist attraction in the city of Pittsburgh. Other works included the Castle Shannon Incline
, the Castle Shannon South Incline
, Penn Incline, Fort Pitt Incline
, Troy Hill Incline
, Nunnery Hill Incline
, and the Johnstown Inclined Plane
; as well as inclines in Wheeling, WV, Cleveland, OH, Duluth, MN, Orange, NJ, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and Girardot and Camboa, Colombia. He was the chief engineer for the Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Railroad
.
He also designed the machinery for the famous Ferris wheel
at the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago, and an energy generating plant for the U. S. Wave Power Company in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
He was active in highway engineering and street-railway construction, and he was well-known for designing and building coal-washing plants, coke works, water works, machine shops, and rolling mills. He retired in 1908 and died on December 24, 1915.
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, educated at Karlsruhe Polytechnique and at the University of Zurich
University of Zurich
The University of Zurich , located in the city of Zurich, is the largest university in Switzerland, with over 25,000 students. It was founded in 1833 from the existing colleges of theology, law, medicine and a new faculty of philosophy....
. Coming to the United States in 1866, he settled in Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, where he built his first inclined plane. He came to Pittsburgh and was associated with 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...
, the builder of the Monongahela Incline
Monongahela Incline
The Monongahela Incline, built by John Endres in 1870, islocated near the Smithfield Street Bridge in Pittsburgh. It is the oldest continuously operating funicular in the USA. It is also one of two surviving inclines from the original 17 passenger-carrying inclines built in Pittsburgh starting...
. He married Endres daughter, Caroline Endres, who was one of the first female engineers in the United States. Thereafter, the Dieschers made their home on Mount Washington. His sons entered into partnership with him in 1901, under the name of Samuel Diescher & Sons.
Diescher designed water works, industrial buildings and plants, coal handling equipment, furnaces for the steel industry, and miscellaneous machinery for tasks ranging from soap making to steel fabrication to sugar beet processing. He also designed the majority of inclined planes in the United States, including numerous inclines in Pittsburgh and southwestern Pennsylvania. The most notable of these is the 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...
which has become a popular tourist attraction in the city of Pittsburgh. Other works included the Castle Shannon Incline
Castle Shannon Incline
The Castle Shannon Incline was a funicular railroad in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was originally built in 1890 as part of the Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Railroad as a means of transporting passenger traffic over Mt. Washington, rather than using the Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Tunnel...
, the Castle Shannon South Incline
Castle Shannon South Incline
The Castle Shannon South Incline, also known as Castle Shannon Incline Number 2 was a funicular railroad in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was originally designed by Samuel Diescher, and opened August 20, 1890 as part of the Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Railroad as a means of transporting...
, Penn Incline, Fort Pitt Incline
Fort Pitt Incline
The Fort Pitt Incline was a funicular railroad in Pittsburgh, designed by Samuel Diescher. Built in 1882, it was abandoned by 1906. It ran from 2nd Avenue to Bluff Street, a distance of 2640 feet, and a vertical distance of 375 feet....
, Troy Hill Incline
Troy Hill Incline
The Troy Hill Incline, also known as the Mount Troy Incline, was a funicular railway located in old Allegheny, Pennsylvania, which is now the North Side of the city of Pittsburgh. Built by Samuel Diescher in 1887, the incline was one of only a few funiculars constructed on the north side of...
, Nunnery Hill Incline
Nunnery Hill Incline
The Nunnery Hill Incline was a funicular designed by Samuel Diescher in 1877. It was operational until 1899, and connected Federal Street to the Fineview neighborhood in Pittsburgh. It was one of a few inclines with a curve in the track....
, and the Johnstown Inclined Plane
Johnstown Inclined Plane
The 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...
; as well as inclines in Wheeling, WV, Cleveland, OH, Duluth, MN, Orange, NJ, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and Girardot and Camboa, Colombia. He was the chief engineer for the Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Railroad
Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Railroad
The Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Railroad was a narrow gauge railroad in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Originally built in 1871, it may have been the first American common carrier narrow gauge railroad. It purchased a rail line called the Coal Hill Coal Railroad from the Pittsburgh Coal...
.
He also designed the machinery for the famous Ferris wheel
Ferris wheel
A Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure consisting of a rotating upright wheel with passenger cars attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, the cars are kept upright, usually by gravity.Some of the largest and most modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on...
at the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago, and an energy generating plant for the U. S. Wave Power Company in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
He was active in highway engineering and street-railway construction, and he was well-known for designing and building coal-washing plants, coke works, water works, machine shops, and rolling mills. He retired in 1908 and died on December 24, 1915.