Johnstown Inclined Plane
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| Johnstown Incline | |
|---|---|
| Locale | Johnstown, Pennsylvania |
| Dates of operation | 1891 – present |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm) (standard gauge) |
| Headquarters | Johnstown, Pennsylvania |
The Johnstown Inclined Plane, located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania in the United States, is the world's steepest vehicular inclined plane.
Contents |
[edit] History
After the Johnstown Flood killed over 2,200 residents on May 31, 1889, the city rebuilt and developed new residential areas on higher elevations. The Johnstown Inclined Plane was built to serve the residents of one of these new communities, Westmont. The borough of Westmont is on top of Yoder Hill, which has a grade of 70.9%, too steep for a road. Consequently, a decision was made to build a funicular, with construction started in 1890, and service beginning on June 1, 1891. The inclined plane transported people, and even horses and wagons up and down the steep hillside.
In addition to its normal service, the Inclined Plane was used to rescue Johnstown residents in two floods:[1] March 1, 1936, when nearly 4,000 escaped via the Inclined Plane; and July 20, 1977, when it was also used to bring rescuers, their boats and other rescue equipment down into the valley.
[edit] Tourism
With the growing popularity of the automobile in the 20th century, the number of riders declined. However, by the 1980s, the Inclined Plane experienced an increase in riders again as it became "the primary tourist attraction in Johnstown."[2] The Inclined Plane was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 18, 1973. It is operated by the local mass transit system, CamTran.
As of 2007, at the top of the incline you will find a museum, a souvenir shop, an ice cream vendor, both indoor and outdoor viewing platforms, and a restaurant. The mechanical room is viewable from both the gift shop and the restaurant. At the base of the incline you can access two hiking trails,[3] one of which is the James Wolfe sculpture trail.
[edit] Technical specifications
The inclined was designed by Pittsburgh engineer Samuel Diescher.[4] He had previously worked on other funiculars, including the Monongahela and Duquesne Inclines in Pittsburgh, and later designed the machinery used to operate the original Ferris Wheel at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois.
- Perpendicular Lift: 502.2 feet (153 m)[5]
- Elevation at Summit: 1,693.5 feet (516 m)
- Angle: 35 degrees, 25 minutes
- Lights: 114 high pressure sodium lamps
- Cars: 15 ft 2 in x 15 ft 6 in x 34 ft (4.6 x 4.7 x 10.4 m), 38 tons each
- Length: 896.5 feet (273 m) from top to bottom
- Grade: 70.9%
- Ties: 720 in total, each 12 in x 12 in x 14 ft (305 mm x 305 mm x 4.3 m)
- Rails: total length: 3,586 feet (1093 m), total weight: 120,553 lb (54,682 kg)
- Cable Size: 2 in (51 mm) powersteel, wire rope, 6 x 36 right regular lay
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Johnstown Inclined Plane: A Brief History. Retrieved on 2007-03-03.
- ^ Johnstown Inclined Plane: The Rolli Story. Retrieved on 2007-03-03.
- ^ Johnstown Inclined Plane: Walking Trails. Retrieved on 2007-03-03.
- ^ Arthur B. Fox. "The incline builders: Forgotten engineers of Pittsburgh", Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved on 2007-03-03.
- ^ Johnstown Inclined Plane: Technical Design. Retrieved on 2007-03-03.
