Long before Pittsburgh was the bustling and vibrant metropolis it is today, it was a coal mining and steel mill town. As the industries grew so did the area's population and residents began to move on top of the hillsides of Coal Hill. This made it difficult to go up and down the steep terrain without roads, so they needed a way to transport heavy goods up the vertical hillsides. To solve the problem residents created a Pittsburgh incline — a type of cable railway tram that was designed to function on steep slopes.
Learn more: Pittsburgh map | Pittsburgh bridges | Pittsburgh public transportation
The incline, named the Duquesne Incline, was built in 1877 for approximately $47,000. It was operated by the The Duquesne Inclined Plane Company and used to transport both cargo and workers up to the summit of Coal Hill — later called Mount Washington. The Duquesne was powered completely by steam until the early 1930s when electricity was added.
From the day it opened until 1962 the incline stayed in constant operation until it was almost dilapidated. Once it was in such bad shape the Duquesne Inclined Plane Company said it would be too expensive to fix the problems and decided to shut it down in 1962.
A year after the Duquesne Incline was out of commission residents of Mount Washington started the Society for the Preservation of Duquesne Heights Incline. The society raised enough money to take over the incline, repair its issues and has kept it in working condition even since. Today, instead of carting heavy cargo and workers to the top of Mount Washington, it is a beloved tourist attraction as one of only two inclines that are still in existence in the city — at one time there were more than 15 inclines in operation throughout Pittsburgh before roads were built in the area.
Now, both locals and visitors can enjoy a ride on the century-old cable car for a small fee. The incline goes up 400-feet in elevation at 6 miles per hour at a grade of 30.5 degrees and 20 people can fit into a car.
As one of the most unique ways to view Pittsburgh, the historic cable car takes riders from the base of Mount Washington up to an observation deck that boasts panoramic views of the city's skyline and three major rivers below. At the top of the incline there is also a small museum dedicated to the history of the Duquesne Incline as well as the city's early days, which includes interesting facts, photographs and records. Guests can also see most of the incline's original hoisting equipment from the viewing platform. Also on the observation deck is the incline's small gift shop that offers several souvenir options to commemorate the trip.
Location & Hours
The Duquesne Incline is located at 1197 West Carson St., and is open 365 days a year: Monday through Saturday from 5:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.; Sundays and holidays from 7 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.
Tickets:
Adults: $5 round-trip
Seniors (65+): Free
Children (ages 6-11): $2.50 round trip
Children (ages 5 & under): Free
Groups of 10 or more will receive a discount on tickets.
Exact change is required.
For more information on the famous Duquesne Incline, visit duquesneincline.org.