The Monongahela Incline is a
funicular
A funicular (, , ) is a type of cable railway system that connects points along a railway track laid on a steep slope. The system is characterized by two counterbalanced carriages (also called cars or trains) permanently attached to opposite e ...
located near the
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 in New York City. The ...
in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania, the second-most populous city in Pennsylva ...
. Designed and built by Prussian-born engineer
John Endres in 1870, it is the oldest continuously operating
funicular
A funicular (, , ) is a type of cable railway system that connects points along a railway track laid on a steep slope. The system is characterized by two counterbalanced carriages (also called cars or trains) permanently attached to opposite e ...
in the United States.
It is one of two surviving inclines in Pittsburgh (the other is the nearby
Duquesne Incline
The Duquesne Incline () is a funicular located near Pittsburgh's South Side neighborhood and scaling Mt. Washington in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Designed by Hungarian-American engineer Samuel Diescher, the incline was completed ...
) from the original 17 passenger-carrying inclines built there starting in the late 19th century. Its lower station is across the street from what is now the
Station Square
Station Square is a indoor and outdoor shopping and entertainment complex located in the South Shore neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States across the Monongahela River from the Golden Triangle of downtown Pittsburgh. Station S ...
shopping complex. It is easily accessible from the light rail system at the
Station Square station.
It was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
in 1974. In 1977 both inclines were designated as
Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmarks by the
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).
History
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania, the second-most populous city in Pennsylva ...
'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 South Side of the
Monongahela River
The Monongahela River ( , )—often referred to locally as the Mon ()—is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed August 15, 2011 river on the Allegheny Plateau in north-cen ...
, leaving only the steep, surrounding hillsides of
Mt. Washington, or "Coal Hill", for housing. However, travel between the "hill" and other areas was hindered by the steep terrain and a lack of public transport or good roads.
The predominantly German immigrants who settled on Mt. Washington, remembering the ''seilbahns'' (
cable cars) of their former country, proposed construction of inclines along the face of Coal Hill.
Prussian-born engineer
John Endres of
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wi ...
was commissioned to design the Monongahela Incline, which opened on May 28, 1870, as the first for passenger use. On the first day, some 944 fares were collected. But the second day, 4,174 people rode the incline and it became a success.
He was assisted by his American-born daughter,
Caroline Endres, who was educated in Europe and became one of the first women engineers in this country.
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 in nearby Birmingham, which was later annexed to the city of Pittsburgh.
The Monongahela Incline was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
in 1974. Both it and the
Duquesne Incline
The Duquesne Incline () is a funicular located near Pittsburgh's South Side neighborhood and scaling Mt. Washington in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Designed by Hungarian-American engineer Samuel Diescher, the incline was completed ...
were recognized in 1977 as
Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmarks by the
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).
That year the two inclines served a total of more than one million commuters and tourists annually.
In the 21st century, the Monongahela Incline is operated by the
Pittsburgh Regional Transit, which operates the rest of Allegheny County's transit system. Transfers can be made between the incline, light rail, and buses free of additional charge. It serves both commuters and visitors, and is a popular tourist attraction.
On February 2, 2019, flooding caused by a broken city water main forced the incline to close. The extensive repairs took time to complete, but the incline reopened 13 weeks later on May 10, 2019.
Pittsburgh Regional Transit announced that beginning on August 1, 2022 and lasting for a period of approximately four months, the Monongahela Incline will close in order to complete a planned $8.1 million renovation. The work includes upgrading the mechanical, electrical and control systems as well as repainting the bridge structure.
Statistics
*Length:
*Elevation:
*Grade: 35 degrees, 35 minutes
*Gauge:
broad gauge
*Speed:
*Passenger Capacity: 23 per car
*Opened: May 28, 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
Monongahela Incline lower station interior.jpg, Interior of the lower station.
Monongahela ascending.jpg,
Monongahela_view_descending.jpg,
P. & L.E. Ry. Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad station and Mt. Washington, Pittsburgh, Pa. c.1905.jpg, P. & L.E. Ry. Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad station on far riverbank, and two inclines: Monongahela Freight Incline (L) and Monongahela Incline (R), on Mt. Washington, c.1905
See also
*
Angels Flight
Angels Flight is a landmark and historic narrow gauge funicular railway in the Bunker Hill district of Downtown Los Angeles, California. It has two funicular cars, named ''Olivet'' and ''Sinai'', that run in opposite directions on a shared ...
*
Duquesne Incline
The Duquesne Incline () is a funicular located near Pittsburgh's South Side neighborhood and scaling Mt. Washington in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Designed by Hungarian-American engineer Samuel Diescher, the incline was completed ...
*
Funicular railway
A funicular (, , ) is a type of cable railway system that connects points along a railway track laid on a steep slope. The system is characterized by two counterbalanced carriages (also called cars or trains) permanently attached to opposite en ...
*
Johnstown Inclined Plane
*
List of funicular railways
This is a list of funicular railways, organised by place within country and continent. The funiculars range from short urban lines to significant multi-section mountain railways.
A funicular railway is distinguished from the similar incline eleva ...
*
List of inclines in Pittsburgh
*
Monongahela Freight Incline
References
External links
*
Lower Station from Google Maps Street ViewUpper Station from Google Maps Street ViewPittsburgh Transit History Site
{{National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania
Rail infrastructure on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania
Funicular railways in the United States
City of Pittsburgh historic designations
Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation Historic Landmarks
Railway inclines in Pittsburgh
Port Authority of Allegheny County
Tourist attractions in Pittsburgh
5 ft gauge railways in the United States
Railway lines opened in 1870
Historic American Engineering Record in Pennsylvania
National Register of Historic Places in Pittsburgh
Cableways on the National Register of Historic Places
Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmarks