Duquesne Incline

The Duquesne Incline is a funicular located near Pittsburgh’s South Side neighborhood and scaling Mt. Washington in Pennsylvania. Designed by Samuel Diescher, the incline was completed in 1877 and is 800 feet (244 m) long, 400 feet (122 m) in height, and is inclined at a 30-degree angle.

Originally steam powered, the Duquesne Incline carried cargo up and down Mt. Washington in the late 19th century. It later carried passengers, particularly Mt. Washington residents who were tired of walking up footpaths to the top. At the time, inclines were being built all over Mt. Washington. But as more roads were built on “Coal Hill,” most of the other inclines were closed. By the end of the 1960s, only the Monongahela Incline and the Duquesne Incline remained.

In 1962 the incline was closed, apparently for good. Major repairs were needed, and with so few patrons, the incline’s private owners did little. But local Duquesne Heights residents launched a fund-raiser to help the incline. It was a huge success, and on July 1, 1963, the incline reopened under the auspices of a non-profit organization dedicated to its preservation.

The incline has since been totally refurbished. The cars, built by J. G. Brill and Company of Philadelphia, have been stripped of paint to reveal the original wood. An observation deck at the top affords a view of the “Golden Triangle,” Pittsburgh’s downtown business district located at the confluence of two rivers. The Duquesne Incline is now one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions.