• TOPICS
    • Design
    • Manufacturing
    • Inspection
    • Heat Treating
    • Lubrication
    • Materials
    • The Gear Industry
    • Gears by Type
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Departments
    • Archives
    • Subscribe
    • Advertise
  • NEWSLETTER
    • Subscribe
  • VIDEO
    • Gear Technology TV
      • Ask the Expert Live
      • Revolutions
    • Industry Videos
  • BLOGS
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • NEWS and EVENTS
    • Product News
    • Industry News
    • Events
  • ADVERTISING
    • Brand Awareness
      • Print: Display Advertising
      • Online: Web Banners & Keyword Banners
      • Online: Native Advertising (Sponsored Content)
      • E-mail: Custom, White Papers & Webinars
      • E-mail: Newsletter Sponsored Content (Native Advertising)
    • Response & Lead Generation
      • Online: Sponsored Content (Native Advertising)
      • E-mail: Newsletters
      • E-mail: Newsletter Sponsored Content (Native Advertising)
      • E-mail: Custom, White Papers & Webinars
      • Online: Buyers Guide
    • Print Advertising
      • Print: Display Advertising
      • Print: MPT Expo Showstoppers
      • Print: Buyers Guide
      • Print: Manufacturing sMart
      • Print: Specifications
      • MPT Expo Show Guide Advertising
    • Online Advertising
      • Online: Web Banners & Keyword Banners
      • Online: Native Advertising (Sponsored Content)
      • Online: Buyers Guide
      • Online: Specifications
    • E-mail Advertising
      • E-mail: E-Newsletters
      • E-mail: Newsletter Sponsored Content (Native Advertising)
      • E-mail: AGMA Industry News
      • E-mail: Custom, White Papers & Webinars
      • E-mail: Specifications
    • Special Promotions
      • Print: MPT Expo Showstoppers
      • Print: Buyers Guide
      • Print: Manufacturing sMart
      • MPT Expo Show Guide Advertising
  • CONTACT US
  • AGMA
    • Membership
    • Events
    • Education
    • Emerging Technology
    • AGMA Media
    • Standards
Subscribe
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Home » Forget the View...Check Out Those Gears!

Forget the View...Check Out Those Gears!

June 1, 2007






On May 20, the city of Pittsburgh celebrated the 130th anniversary of the Duquesne Incline, a funicular railway that allows passengers to travel via cable car to an observation area and catch a panoromic view of the city and—most importantly—get a bird’s eye glimpse of the gear teeth in action.

The Duquesne Incline, at 800' long, 400' high and at a 30° inclination, scales Mt. Washington and zips groups of 25 visitors up the mountain and into downtown Pittsburgh within six minutes. Some visitors love the fact that the Upper Station deposits customers in the heart of Restaurant Row. For three years running, USA Weekend has distinguished The Duquesne Incline as the second most scenic spot in the U.S., with the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers fusing together to create the Ohio River, and the nighttime view of more than 15 lighted bridges illuminating downtown Pittsburgh.

Staff members swear that, for a significant segment of the visitors, it’s really the mechanics behind the incline that make every penny of the $1.75 trip worthwhile. Tourists with “gearhead” tendencies may be interested to learn that the incline was steam-driven and remained so until 1932 when it was converted to electricity. In the 1970s, the incline was modernized with Westinghouse receptacles and a maintenance-free drive system.

One of the features that stuns tourists, says Jim Presken, vice president of operations, is the location of the hoisting machinery at right angles with the plane. This method was initially adopted to save the expense of buying an additional piece of real estate. Over the years, it has evolved to two working cables wound together on a single grooved drum.

The single drum is 12' in diameter and 3'10" wide. It has a grooved periphery into which both pulling cables wind. The original cable drum and wooden tooth drive gear are still in use today and operate without any problem. Replacement teeth of aged rock maple are on hand at all times.

Aside from tourists, a large part of the incline’s traffic is daily commuters. For those lucky workers, this mechanical masterpiece is part of the daily grind. As for the rest of us, we’ll have to make a vacation of it.

For more information:
The Duquesne Incline
1220 Grandview Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15211-1204
Telephone: (412) 381-1668
Internet: www.incline.cc

Addendum
KEYWORDS cable car Duquesne Incline wooden gears
  • Download This Article

  • Related Articles

    Don't Forget the Follow-Up!

    The Gear Gods Help Those That Help Themselves

  • Related Events

    How are companies dealing with the impact of the credit crunch and what will the industry look like coming out of the recession?

    Makino's How to Get the Most Out of Your Work Zone Webinar

    Gearbox System Design: The Rest of the Story...Everything but the Gears and Bearings

Free Gear Technology Subscriptions
Subscribe
Free Gear Technology Subscriptions
Subscribe
FEATURED VIDEO
  • Helios1
    Forest City Gear Taps Helios Gear for Custom Cutting Tools
January 18, 2023
RECOMMENDED
  • 2022 Gear Technology Buyer's Guide

    December 5, 2022
    gt1122-buyers-guide.jpg
  • Reigniting the Educational Infrastructure

    December 5, 2022
    gt1122_Page_20_Image_0001.jpg
  • Profile: Continuing Education and Training with the AGMA

    December 5, 2022
    gt1122_Page_26_Image_0001.jpg
  • Polished Up!

    February 13, 2023
    gt0123_Page_38_Image_0002.jpg
  • Remaining Competitive

    February 13, 2023
    gt0123_Page_42_Image_0001.jpg
  • Polished Up!

    February 13, 2023
    gt0123_Page_38_Image_0002.jpg
  • Remaining Competitive

    February 13, 2023
    gt0123_Page_42_Image_0001.jpg
  • 2022 Gear Technology Buyer's Guide

    December 5, 2022
    gt1122-buyers-guide.jpg
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • Contribute
  • AGMA
Powered byAGMA
Copyright © 2023 Gear Technology
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact