Please forgive the Friday intrusion, but I can’t resist a chance to bring back a few photos from the Duquesne Incline.
I don’t participate in Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge very often, but I follow a lot of people who do. The challenges are a great source of interesting photos. Anyway, I’m going to make this very short, and since I don’t normally post on Fridays, feel free to take a look and slip away. Also, I’m also limiting the photo count in the gallery.
So, the challenge this week is Gears and Engines – Seriously Cee, you couldn’t have set me up better. How’s this for a gear and engine?
The gears have wooden teeth that can be easily replaced. The few (really, limited) photos in the gallery show what the engine and gears are moving.
Duquesne Incline on the move
Duquesne Incline upper station
That’s the entrance to the Duquesne Incline. Once the car arrives, you enter and exit through that door.
Inside the car of the Duquesne Incline. Nothing much has changed since 1877.
Duquesne Incline
Inside the powerhouse of the Duquesne Incline, a diagram illustrates the complex cable routing.
Faith took this photo looking up the tracks from the lower station.
No Facilities 
Nice post
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I think she designed this one for you Dan.
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I think so 🙂
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Good post.
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Thanks Sharukh!
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Hi Dan – looks fascinating – great having wooden teeth that can easily be replaced – makes sense for the gear mechanism. Didn’t know where it is ..but see it’s in Pittsburgh …fun photos – cheers Hilary
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Thanks Hilary. It’s a fun ride, too.
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haha! Cee–you have created a monster!! Dan, these are great.
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Thanks Lois – this one spoke directly to me !
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Thanks for the memories, Dan. We saw this some years ago, although it was a rather dreary day, as I recall. Quite a view from up there as well!
janet
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You’re welcome, Janet. That’s one of the best city views!
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Wooden gears, interesting. You have to wonder how many other systems use them.
Great post!!
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The inclines (there were once 15 of them) were essential for moving coal, freight and workers, to and from the steel mills. Shutting down for a little while to replace a tooth was much better than shutting down and casting/cutting a new gear of that size.
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So that’s what it’s called… I remember seeing it on one of my trips to Pittsburgh but never knew what it was called and never asked anyone, for some reason…
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There are two still in operation. Mostly as tourist attractions but they stay busy.
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Interesting challenge! Nice pictures and love the last one the best here! :)
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Thanks.
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A good share :) Nice addition to the challenge.
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Thanks. It really was too hard to resist.
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combining my fears of height and amusement rides…but splendid pics, esp like that photo of slight worse for wear diagram, so intricate in its explanation
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My wife had no interest in riding. It’s really quite safe. The diagram shows how this particular incline had to adapt the design when the people across the street wouldn’t sell them the land for the powerhouse. The 90° angle is unique to this incline.
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It does have that hefty and intricate look from a time when things were made and put together to last
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So far, it’s lasted 140 years!
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wow
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Oh Dan, I’m so glad you played along this week. Great addition to the gallery of gears.
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Thanks Cee. I love your challenges but I’ve usually got too much going on over here. I couldn’t resist this one.
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It is thanks to your recommendation that we took the Duquesne Incline last summer. It was a great trip. Sadly, annoyingly, we only had one way tickets so we had to take the long and tedious walk back down.
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Oh my! Oh that’s sad. I’m sorry.
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We could laugh about it as soon as our feet stopped aching. It’s all good. The upside was we saw a lot of residential architecture we’d otherwise have missed.
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Ooo, I like this very much! Why can’t all uppy places have an incline like this? Sit in a thing that’s all level and touching the ground and going up without swinging and swaying = yes.
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It’s a very pleasant ride. As long as you don’t think of the age of the mechanism 😏
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I alway love to hear people try to pronounce Duquesne. Usually comes out Dukenesque rather than duekane
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There was a (local) Duquesne beer that had a character in their commercials that pronounced it du-quezz-nee. Most locals just went with “I’ll have a Duke”
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Ha haha.
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Is this challenge right up your street or what! :) The car is adorable! Wouldn’t a model of this running up and down the Christmas tree be cool? I want one!
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That would be cool! Thanks for the idea. Although, I’m not sure if the cats would allow it. In any case this challenge was too good to pass up.
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Oh yes, the cats would have fun with, and probably wreck it while having fun. :(
Yes, that challenge was perfect for you.
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Reblogged this on Ancien Hippie.
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Thanks 😊
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I’ll echo what so many have already said – this one was tailor made for you :)
I hope they always preserve that original look which gives it so much charm.
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Thanks Joanne. As soon as I saw it, I searched WordPress for that photo. The incline has been owned by a preservation group since the late 60s. I hope that means it’s safe.
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That preservation group got in there early! That’s a good sign :)
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I love these. They put my head in a Steampunk place, Dan. Gorgeous photos. The one of the incline on the move is actually a little frightening. Happy weekend.
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Thanks Teagan. The incline is s gun and funky ride. Have a great weekend.
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I’m glad you were able to find the photo and to tell us the history of the Duquesne incline. I didn’t realize (short attention span) it is located in Pittsburg. Is the other incline the one over the New River Gorge? :)
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Nope. There are two inclines in Pittsburgh, both descend from Mt. Washington to the western bank of the Monongahela River.
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Well, the other incline probably runs on a cable. Thanks for letting me know. 🍦Enjoy your weekend, Dan.
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This is so interesting!
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Thanks! It’s fascinating to see how they overcame the fact that they didn’t own enough property to build a traditional incline railway (where the power unit would be in line with the rails). This was the only one of what was once 15 inclines in Pittsburgh, that had a 90° angle in the powerhouse. AND – this was built 140 years ago!
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Wow! That is amazing.
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