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
Dimensional comparison

Further: H.B. Hays and Brothers Coal Railroad

  • 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.
  1. ↑ "The Odd, Mysterious & Fascinating History of Pittsburgh". www.facebook.com.
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