Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-11-23
Pi1s5s,uRG's PLANES.
Interesting Works of Engineering on tho
Bluffs of the City.


The inclined planes for access to the high
lands of Pittsburg and Allegheny are liz
teresting engineering features. There are
eleven in the two cities; seven being on the
south side OF the Monongahela river in
Pittsburg, two rising from the TOP OF tho
central cable in Pttsburg proper, and two
in Allegheny. The first plane was built in
1870. Nearly all of the planes carry teams
as well as foot passengers.
The oldest of the inclines is the Monon-
gahela passenger incline, which rises from
Carson street, just below the southern end
of the Smithfield street bridge The orig
inal structure was of wood, but in 1882 it
was rebuilt OF iron. 1t is $40 feet in length,
with rise of 315 feet. The speed is about
COO feet minute. Beside the passenger
incline is the freight plane. The Mount
Oliver plane, which rises from Twelfth
and Frederick streets to the summit of
Mount Oliver, is 1000 feet in length, with
a rise of 81 feet. The Duquesne incline,
which rises from Carson street on the
south side near the Point bridge, is $50 feet
in length, with rise of 400 feet. The
Fort Pitt incline rises to the central pla-
teau of Pittsburg from Second avenue
Its length is $50 feet, and the rise is 1856
feet. The cars are of iron. and the traffic
is chiefly with teams.
The largest of all the Pittsburg inclines,
and probably the most heavily built plane
in the world, is the Penn incline, which
rises to the central plateau from Seven
tenth street. When that incline was pro-
jected it was intended that it should carry
coal to the top of the hill, the purpose be-
ing to take up an ordinary car with twenty
tons of coal, and thus save a cost of haul
ing small loads by horses over long and
steep road. The incline was constructed to
fill the requirements, but just about the
time the plane was completed natural gas
swept coal out of the way, and tine use of
the incline according to the first purpose
had to be abolished. It's length is $40 feet,
with rise of $50 feet. There are two hoist
ing ropes and one safety rope. The entire
structure is very massive, and it is used
for both freight and passenger traffic.
The first inclined plane in Allegheny is
the Mount Troy incline, which climbs Troy
hill. Its length is $40 feet. The second of
the inclines ascends Nunnery hill 1t is
used for passengers only, and has a length
of l 100 feet, with a rise OF about 800 feet
The structure is of wooden trestle work
throughout. The st. Clair plane is built
like an ordinary steam railroad, as it is on
the ground all the way. It rises from
Josephine street on the south side to the
summit of the bluff, distance of 1000
feet, with rise of 36l feet The incline is
not a perfect plane, but is really section
of parabols.
The longest of all the inclines is the
Knoxville, which is near the st. Clair in
cline, rising to Brownsville and Washing
ton avenues at the top of the hill. 1t has
total length of 2,6i0 feet and rise of $50
feet. The Castle Shannon inelines are
among the most interesting. The railroad
is narrow gauge 40 inch line, running
from the south side of Piutsburg to Airing
ton. distance of six miles and a half. The
first incline has a total length of ,375 feet,
with a rise of 45l feet. Most of the incline
has been built on solid ground, but about
300 feet of the structure is in spans of sixty
feet. The cars are for freight and passen-
gers.
The other incline is more of a cable road
than an inclined plane, as the grade is COM
paratively light, and an endless cable is to
be used TO draw train of cars. 1t is on
the opposite side of the hill, and is intended
to take train of six loaded narrow gauge
passenger cars from the railroad to the top
of the hill, where passengers may change
to the first incline and descend to the CITY
1t is 2, III feet feet in length, with a drop
of lS5 feet. Most of the inclnes have been
built or rebuilt of iron within few years.
Street Railway Journal.