Beginning in 1870, the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania built numerous inclined railways to provide passenger service to workers traveling the steep hills to their homes; there were 17 built in the late 19th century. Following road building and greater use of private automobiles, the inclines business declined and most were closed and removed.
The Monongahela Incline, the first built in the city, and the Duquesne Incline are the only two still operating. They carry passengers between Mount Washington and the lowlands along the Monongahela River. They are each listed on the National Register of Historic Places and, in 1977, both were recognized as Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmarks by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).
| Name | Opened | Closed | Lower end | Upper end | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellevue Incline | 1887 | 1889 | Near Bellevue, PA Railroad Station @ Ohio River | Intersection of Sherman Ave. & Lincoln Ave. | Bellevue and Davis Island Incline Plane Company | Outdoor Elevator & Street Railroad |
| Castle Shannon Incline | 1890 | 1964 | South Shore: Carson Street near Arlington Avenue | Mount Washington: Bailey Avenue near Haberman Avenue | Pittsburgh Railways (Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Railroad) | |
| Castle Shannon Incline No. 2 | 1892 | 1914 | Mount Washington: Warrington Avenue west of Haberman Avenue | Mount Washington: Bailey Avenue west of Haberman Avenue | Pittsburgh Railways (Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Railroad) | |
| Clifton Incline | 1889 | 1905 | Perry Hilltop: Strauss Street near Metcalf Street | Perry Hilltop: Irwin Avenue near Chautauqua Street | Clifton Avenue Incline Plane Company | |
| Duquesne Incline | 1877 | — | South Shore: Carson Street | Mount Washington: Grandview Avenue near Oneida Place | Duquesne Incline Plane Company Now Society for the Preservation of the Duquesne Heights Incline |
|
| Fort Pitt Incline | 1882 | 1900 | Bluff: Second Avenue near Tenth Street Bridge | Bluff: Bluff Street near Magee Street | Fort Pitt Incline Plane Company | |
| Knoxville Incline | 1890 | 1960 | South Side Flats: Bradish Street between 11th and 12th streets | Allentown: Brosville Street near Warrington Avenue | Pittsburgh Railways (Pittsburgh Incline Plane Company) | |
| Monongahela Incline | 1870 | — | South Shore: Carson Street near Smithfield Street Bridge | Mount Washington: Grandview Avenue near Wyoming Street | Monongahela Incline Plane Company Now Port Authority of Allegheny County |
|
| Monongahela Freight Incline | 1884 | 1935 | South Shore: Carson Street near Smithfield Street Bridge | Mount Washington: Grandview Avenue near Wyoming Street | Monongahela Incline Plane Company Now Port Authority of Allegheny County |
|
| Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Plane | before 1864 | c. 1912 | Carson Street | Bailey | Pittsburgh Coal Company | |
| Mount Oliver Incline | 1872 | 1951 | South Side Flats: Freyburg Street near 12th Street | South Side Slopes: Warrington Avenue near Mount Oliver Street | Pittsburgh Railways (Mount Oliver Incline Railway) | |
| Norwood Incline | 1901 | 1923 | Island Avenue | Norwood Place | ||
| Nunnery Hill Incline | 1888 | 1895 | Fineview: Federal Street near Henderson Street | Fineview: Meadville Street near Catoma Street | Nunnery Hill Incline Plane Company | |
| Penn Incline | 1884 | 1953 | Strip District: Spring Way near 17th Street | Hill District: Arcena Street near Ledlie Street | Pittsburgh Railways (Seventeenth Street Incline Plane Company) | |
| Ridgewood Incline | 1886 | 1887 | Perry Hilltop: North Charles Street near Nublock Street | Perry Hilltop: Yale Street near Ridgewood Street | Ridgewood Incline Plane Company | |
| St. Clair Incline | 1888 | c. 1932 | South Side Flats: Josephine Street near Greeley Street | South Side Slopes: Salisbury Street between Fernleaf and Sterling Streets | St. Clair Incline Plane Company | |
| Troy Hill Incline | 1888 | 1898 | Troy Hill: Ohio Street | Troy Hill: Lowrie Street near Froman Street | Troy Hill Incline Plane Company |
Further: H.B. Hays and Brothers Coal Railroad
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Transcription
External links
- A video of the Monongahela and Knoxville inclines operating in Pittsburgh during 1926. The Monongahela Freight incline can also be seen in the video.[1]
References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Inclines of Pittsburgh.
- ^ "The Odd, Mysterious & Fascinating History of Pittsburgh". www.facebook.com.
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This page was last edited on 7 April 2022, at 11:00