Monongahela Incline

{{Infobox rail line

| box_width =

| name = Monongahela Incline

| color =

| logo = The Incline PA Edit.JPG

| logo_width =

| logo_alt = the sign on the terminal showing Monongahela Incline 1870

| image = Monongahela Incline.jpg

| image_width =

| image_alt = The lower terminal and a car descending

| caption = Lower station of the Monongahela Incline

| type = Funicular

| system =

| status =

| locale = Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.

| start = West Carson Street

| end = Grandview Avenue

| stations = 2

| routes =

| daily_ridership =

| ridership2 =

| open = {{Start date|1870|5|28}}

| close =

| owner = Pittsburgh Regional Transit

| operator =

| character =

| depot =

| stock =

| linelength = {{convert|635|ft}}

| tracks =

| gauge = {{Track gauge|5ft|lk=on}}

| old_gauge =

| load_gauge =

| minradius =

| racksystem =

| routenumber =

| electrification = 1935

| speed = {{convert|6|mph|abbr=on}}

| embedded = {{Infobox NRHP

| name = Monongahela Incline

| embed = yes

| nrhp_type =

| image =

| caption =

| location= Grandview Avenue at Wyoming Avenue,
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

| coordinates = {{coord|40|25|55|N|80|0|20|W|display=inline,title}}

| locmapin = Pittsburgh#Pennsylvania#USA

| built = 1869

| architect = John Endres and Caroline Endres

| architecture = Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals, Second Renaissance Revival

| added = June 25, 1974

| area = {{convert|1|acre}}

| refnum = 74001742{{NRISref |refnum=74001742|version=2010a}}

| designated_other1_name = City of Pittsburgh Historic Structure

| designated_other1_date = March 15, 1974{{cite web | url=http://www.phlf.org/historic-plaque-program/local-historic-designations/ | title=Local Historic Designations | publisher=Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation | location=Pittsburgh | access-date=August 9, 2011}}

| designated_other1_abbr = CPHS

| designated_other1_link = List of City of Pittsburgh historic designations

| designated_other1_color= black

| designated_other1_textcolor = gold

| designated_other2 = PHLF

| designated_other2_date = 1970{{cite web |url= http://www.phlf.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/Historic-Plaques-2010b.pdf |title=Historic Landmark Plaques 1968–2009 |work=Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation |year=2010 |access-date=August 5, 2011}}

}}

| elevation =

| website =

| map = {{Monongahela Incline|inline=yes}}

| map_state = collapsed

}}

The Monongahela Incline is a funicular on the South Side in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, near the Smithfield Street Bridge. Designed and built by Prussian-born engineer John Endres in 1870, it is the oldest continuously operating funicular in the U.S.

It is one of two surviving inclines in Pittsburgh (the other is the nearby Duquesne Incline) 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 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 in 1974. In 1977 both inclines were designated as Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmarks by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).

History

File:Monongahela Incline 1905.jpg (left) in 1905. The latter has been demolished.]]

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 South Side of the Monongahela River, 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 Seilbahnen (cable cars) of their former country, proposed construction of inclines along the face of Coal Hill.

Prussian-born engineer John Endres of Cincinnati, Ohio 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.{{cite news |title=Inclines Rise to National Landmarks |first=Dave |last=Leherr |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19770507&id=Ck4NAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Om0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6087,858396 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date=May 7, 1977 |page=9}} 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.{{cite web |title=Monongahela and Duquesne Inclines |url=http://files.asme.org/ASMEORG/Communities/History/Landmarks/5533.pdf |access-date=May 21, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090816062002/http://files.asme.org/ASMEORG/Communities/History/Landmarks/5533.pdf |archive-date=August 16, 2009 }}{{cite web |title=Legendary Ladies |url=http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/yhst-52682494824873/pitts-women.pdf |work=Pennsylvania Commission for Women |access-date=March 21, 2006 |archive-date=May 24, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524094048/http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/yhst-52682494824873/pitts-women.pdf |url-status=dead }}[https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/148333497/ Caroline Enders and John Enders (biographical sketch with photos)], in The Pittsburgh Press, December 4, 1955, p. 167. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: The Pittsburgh Press (available via Newspapers.com; subscription required).

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 in 1974. Both it and the Duquesne Incline 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 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.portauthority.org/services/inclines/|title=PortAuthority.org – Inclines|website=www.portauthority.org|access-date=October 7, 2019}} 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.{{cite web |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/news/transportation/2019/03/23/Port-Authority-Monongahela-Incline-station-repairs-Mount-Washington/stories/201903230042|title=Port Authority making progress to repair flooded Monongahela Incline station |access-date=April 16, 2019}} The extensive repairs took time to complete, but the incline reopened 13 weeks later on May 10, 2019.{{cite web |url=https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2019/05/10/monongahela-incline-briefly-closed/|title=Monongahela Incline Closed Briefly Friday Morning |date=May 10, 2019 |access-date=May 21, 2019}}{{clear left}}

Statistics

Length: {{convert|635|ft|m}}
Elevation: {{convert|369.39|ft|m}}
Grade: 35 degrees, 35 minutes
Gauge: {{Track gauge|5ft|lk=on}} broad gauge
Speed: {{convert|6|mph|abbr=on}}
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{{cite web |title=Monongahela and Duquesne Inclines |url=https://www.asme.org/wwwasmeorg/media/ResourceFiles/AboutASME/Who%20We%20Are/Engineering%20History/Landmarks/26-Monongahela-Incline-1870.pdf|work=ASME |date=May 11, 1977}}
Renovated: 2022–23 upper, lower stations, mechanical controls, electrical system, exterior track lighting{{Cite web |title=StackPath |url=https://www.masstransitmag.com/rail/infrastructure/press-release/53027427/pittsburgh-regional-transit-prt-prt-reopens-monongahela-incline |access-date=March 6, 2023 |website=www.masstransitmag.com|date=March 6, 2023 }}

Gallery

Monongahela Incline lower station interior.jpg|Interior of the lower station

Monongahela ascending.jpg|{{center|Ascending}}

Monongahela_view_descending.jpg|{{center|Descending view}}

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

References

External links

{{HAER |survey=PA-226 |id=pa2667 |title=Monongahela Incline Plane | photos = 28 | color = | dwgs = | data = 36 | cap = 7}}
[https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=40.432641,-80.004865&spn=0.003838,0.013733&z=17&layer=c&cbll=40.432641,-80.004865&panoid=VFlkqYISyX576jYoVFShog&cbp=12,169.11,,0,3.38 Lower Station from Google Maps Street View]
[https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=40.431217,-80.005996&spn=0.003838,0.013733&z=17&layer=c&cbll=40.431217,-80.005996&panoid=DGoIgMEcdspjQHP4Ttc4WQ&cbp=12,25.39,,0,6.12 Upper Station from Google Maps Street View]
[http://pittsburghtransit.org Pittsburgh Transit History Site]

Category:5 ft gauge railways in the United States

Category:Cableways on the National Register of Historic Places

Category:City of Pittsburgh historic designations

Category:Funicular railways in the United States

Category:Historic American Engineering Record in Pennsylvania

Category:Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmarks

Category:National Register of Historic Places in Pittsburgh

Category:Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation Historic Landmarks

Category:Port Authority of Allegheny County

Category:Rail infrastructure on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania

Category:Railway inclines in Pittsburgh

Category:Railway lines opened in 1870