Duquesne Incline Railway - Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member NorStar
N 40° 26.304 W 080° 01.141
17T E 583199 N 4476879
The Duquesne Incline Railway in Pittsburgh is the 3rd incline railway built in Pittsburgh and 2nd to survive, along with the Monongahela Incline Railway, and unlike the Monongahela, the passenger seating area is a single-level compartment.
Waymark Code: WM6HHD
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 06/06/2009
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member saopaulo1
Views: 38
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Pittsburgh is well known for its funiculars. According to the brochure produced by the local section of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) there were at one time 17 such inclines in Pittsburgh. Currently, two survive: the Monongahela, and this one, the Duquesne Incline.

The incline, open for service in 1877, was the third in Pittsburgh (according to the brochure by ASME). The incline was built on Washington Hill, formerly known as coal hill. It is likely that it closely follows old coal transport tracks that may have been there as early as 1854. It was designed by Samuel Diescher, for Kirk Bigham and Associates. Diescher became the authority in designing inclines at the time.

Specs not listed in the fields, below (ASME brochure):

Gauge: 5 ft
Type of car: 1 compartment
Passenger capacity: 18 to 25
Speed: 4.03 mph
Annual ridership (1975): 575,022

In the 1960s, the Duquesne Incline was scheduled to be closed by the new Port Authority of Allegheny County. A groundswelling of support developed from mostly the residents on Washington Hill, and raised both support and funds to save the incline. Today, the incline is run by the Society for the Preservation of The Duquesne Heights Incline.

The incline base station is on W. Carson Street, while the top station is at Grandview Avenue. Two cars operate - one goes up as the other goes down. The car has a single level for the passengers, who sit on benches that ring the sides of the compartment. Below, there is room for baggage.

At the top, there is an observation deck where you can take in the view of downtown Pittsburgh, the Monongahela, Allegheny, and Ohio Rivers, and the surrounding area. Inside, there is an opportunity to see the machinery that makes the incline run.

Fares (2009):
Adult: $2.00
Children, 6-11: $1.00
Children under 6: Free

I happened to be in Pittsburgh on a convention for industrial history. This was part of one of the tours.

Additional Source:

(visit link)
Seasonal?: Open All Year

Funicular's Official Website: [Web Link]

Length of Track: 793 ft

Angle of Incline: 30 degrees

Elevation: 400 ft
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