Johnstown Inclined Plane
40°19′32″N 78°55′43″W / 40.32556°N 78.92861°W
Johnstown Inclined Plane | |
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Overview | |
Locale | Johnstown, Pennsylvania United States |
Transit type | Funicular |
Annual ridership | 63,764 (2017) 2.3% |
Website | www |
Official name | Johnstown Inclined Railway |
Designated | June 18, 1973 |
Reference no. | 73001597[1] |
Architect | Samuel Diescher |
Official name | Johnstown Incline |
Designated | September 1994 |
Reference no. | 180[2] |
Operation | |
Began operation | June 1, 1891 |
Operator(s) | CamTran |
Technical | |
System length | 896.5 ft (273.3 m) |
Track gauge | 8 ft (2,440 mm) |
The Johnstown Inclined Plane is a 896.5-foot (273.3 m) funicular in Johnstown, Cambria County, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The incline and its two stations connect the city of Johnstown, situated in a valley at the confluence of the Stonycreek and the Little Conemaugh rivers, to the borough of Westmont on Yoder Hill. The Johnstown Inclined Plane is billed as the "world's steepest vehicular inclined plane". It can carry automobiles and passengers, up or down a slope with a grade of 71.9%.[2][3] The travel time between stations is 90 seconds.
After a catastrophic flood in 1889, the Johnstown Inclined Plane was completed in 1891 to serve as an escape route from floods in the valley, as well as a convenient mode of transportation for residents of the new communities above the valley. It was operated by Cambria Iron Company and its successor Bethlehem Steel until 1935, when it was sold to the borough of Westmont. The incline was briefly shut down in 1962 when its supply of power from Bethlehem Steel was terminated.
Twice in its history, the Johnstown Inclined Plane fulfilled its role as a means of evacuation from floods—once in 1936 and again in 1977. The incline was listed on the
Design
The Johnstown Inclined Plane was designed by Hungarian-American engineer
An emergency brake engages if the air pressure needed to control the incline is insufficient; the brake also engages if a dead man's switch is tripped in the operator's booth.[9] In addition to the hauling cables, a 972-foot (296 m) safety cable capable of withstanding 165 short tons (149.7 metric tons; 147.3 long tons) is also connected to the cars.[5][10]
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The room that houses the incline's hoisting mechanisms
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The upper station has an observation deck and visitor center/restaurant adjacent to it
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The enclosed passenger area, with bench.
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The main deck of the car, which is large enough to hold several motorcycles or an automobile.
History
Background and construction
Inclines are common in Europe, and immigrants, like the
On May 31, 1889, the
Use
The incline's original steam engine was disconnected on January 6, 1912, and replaced with an electric motor.
The Johnstown Inclined Plane was listed on the
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Side view
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Two cars traversing the slope
Refurbishment
In 2021, the incline closed for a two year project to extensively renovate the incline at a cost of more than $12 million. The refurbishment included restoration of the cars, a complete overhaul of the mechanical and electrical systems, and replacement all the track ties. The project was funded by a variety of state and federal grants, and donations from local foundations.[25]
Current operations
Year | Pass. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1996 | 142,109 | — |
1997 | 120,156 | −15.4% |
1998 | 118,802 | −1.1% |
1999 | 120,456 | +1.4% |
2000 | 121,779 | +1.1% |
2001 | 66,620 | −45.3% |
2002 | 74,485 | +11.8% |
2003 | 72,431 | −2.8% |
2004 | 65,685 | −9.3% |
2005 | 86,031 | +31.0% |
2006 | 109,222 | +27.0% |
2007 | 104,238 | −4.6% |
2008 | 100,653 | −3.4% |
2009 | 102,516 | +1.9% |
2010 | 92,185 | −10.1% |
2011 | 81,236 | −11.9% |
2012 | 94,934 | +16.9% |
2013 | 86,984 | −8.4% |
2014 | 70,761 | −18.7% |
2015 | 43,670 | −38.3% |
2016 | 65,268 | +49.5% |
2017 | 63,764 | −2.3% |
2018 | 51,481 | −19.3% |
2019 | 65,804 | +27.8% |
2020 | 40,835 | −37.9% |
2021 | 20,193 | −50.5% |
Source: National Transit Database, Federal Transit Administration |
With the growing usage of the automobile and construction of new roads, ridership on the incline diminished. It was losing $25,000 a year by 1961.[9] Since the 1980s, the incline has become one of the main tourist attractions in Johnstown, with people visiting the incline to "ride for fun, nostalgia and novelty."[3] Primarily used for tourism, the incline's use by commuters, who bike or walk to work, has also increased.[26] CamTran's Route 18 transit bus offers connections between the incline and downtown Johnstown.[27] As of 2017[update], the cost for a ride on the incline is $3 or $5 for a roundtrip. The one way fare for automobiles $8.[28] The incline takes around 90 seconds to travel between stations. The same trip takes 10 minutes by automobile.[9] In 2021, the Johnstown Inclined Plane had an annual ridership of 20,193 passengers, a decrease of 50.5 percent from the previous year.[29]
The upper station has a gift shop selling souvenirs and snacks. A visitor center is located adjacent to the station.[28] The mechanical room housing the incline's hoisting mechanism can be viewed from windows in the gift shop and the visitor center lobby.[28] An observation deck providing views of the incline, the city, and the valley is located on the opposite side of the station from the visitor center.[28] Two hiking trails and several mountain bike trails allow visitors to recreate on the hillside. One of the hiking trails is a sculpture trail, with works created in 1989 by local artist James Wolfe, who used remnants of the Bethlehem Steel factory in Johnstown.[30] The mountain bike trails are a series of downhill style trails that all end at the lower Inclined Plane Station. They are unique in that they are one of the only trail systems with lift service provided by public transportation.[citation needed]
See also
- List of funicular railways
- List of Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmarks
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Cambria County, Pennsylvania
Explanatory notes
Citations
- ^ a b "Johnstown Inclined Railway". NPSGallery. National Park Service. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
- ^ a b c "#180 Johnstown Incline (1891)". American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Retrieved May 21, 2017.
- ^ a b c d Wiseman, Lisa (December 23, 2004). "Johnstown's Inclined Plane is steeped in history, tragedy". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved January 7, 2011.
- ^ a b Forte 1994, p. 3.
- ^ a b c d The Historic Johnstown Inclined Plane Technical Guide. CamTran.
- ^ Moser, Nick (January 17, 1963). "The Passing Parade". Reading Eagle. p. 8. Retrieved January 7, 2011.
- ^ "Welcome to the Johnstown Inclined Plane". Johnstown Inclined Plane. Retrieved January 7, 2011.
- ^ Forte 1994, p. 2.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Maurer, Chris (October 1, 1967). "A Lofty Look at Johnstown". The New York Times. p. XX11.
- ^ Pennsylvania Historic Sites and Landmarks 1972, § 7.
- ^ a b Fountain 2007, p. F6.
- ^ a b c d Pennsylvania Historic Sites and Landmarks 1972, § 8, p. 1.
- ^ a b c d e f g Forte 1994, p. 1.
- ^ Springirth 2006, p. 110.
- ^ Pennsylvania Historic Sites and Landmarks 1972, § 8, pp. 1–2.
- ^ Springirth 2006, p. 116.
- ^ "Johnstown Incline ceases to operate". Reading Eagle. Associated Press. February 1, 1962. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
- ^ Springirth 2006, p. 112.
- ^ Springirth 2006, p. 113.
- ^ a b Springirth 2006, p. 118.
- ^ Potts, Ted (April 17, 2010). "Hour of havoc". The Tribune-Democrat. Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
- ^ Faher, Mike (October 14, 2010). "Incline reopening following repairs". The Tribune-Democrat. Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Retrieved January 13, 2011.
- ^ Griffith, Randy (October 29, 2012). "Rescue icon idled as storm nears". The Tribune-Democrat. Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
- ^ a b Griffith, Randy (January 30, 2015). "CamTran extends winter break for Inclined Plane". The Tribune-Democrat. Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Retrieved February 9, 2015.
- ^ Griffith, Randy. "Overhaul will idle Inclined Plane for two summers". The Tribune-Democrat. Retrieved 2023-01-07.
- ^ Griffith, Randy (April 20, 2009). "Inclined Plane kicks off summer commuter hours". The Tribune-Democrat. Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
- ^ "Route 18 Downtown Shuttle". CamTran. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
- ^ a b c d "Visitor Information". Johnstown Inclined Plane. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
- ^ "Service Data and Operating Expenses Time-Series by Mode" (XLSX). National Transit Database. Federal Transit Administration. 2021. Unlinked Passenger Trips. TS2.1. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
- ^ Springirth 2006, p. 111.
General sources
- Forte, Kandi (1994). "The Johnstown Incline". Regional Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark. American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Archived from the original on October 12, 2015. Retrieved May 21, 2017.
- Fountain, Henry (July 20, 2007). "A State of Incline in Pennsylvania". The New York Times. pp. F1, F6. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
- Pennsylvania Historic Sites and Landmarks (July 1972). "Johnstown Inclined Railway" (PDF). National Register of Historic Place Inventory–Nomination Form. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
- Springirth, Kenneth C (2006). Johnstown Trolleys and Incline. Images of Rail. ISBN 0-7385-4583-X.
External links