Inclines (was: Pittsburgh Rys 101)

[Don Galt]

I have a copy of a booklet entitled "Pittsburgh's Inclines" by Samuel R.
Ohler, published ca1971. Is this still available?

In addition to the still operating Mongahela and Duquesne inclines, several
survived to the middle of our century:

Castle Shannon (north; 1964)
Knoxville (or Pittsburgh, or 12th Street; 1960)
Penn (17th Street; 1953)
Mount Oliver (closed 1951)
St. Clair (22d Street; 1935)
Monongahela freight (1935)

Longer ago, of note:
Nunnery Hill (Fineview)
Ridgewood (Charles Street)
Clifton
Troy Hill
Fort Pitt (near Duquesne University)
Bellevue
Norwood (McKees Rocks)
Castle Shannon south (near South Hills High School) 

Plus, the original alignment of the Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon involved
a winding line up the hill to a short tunnel under Mount Washington, with
an incline leading down the north side to the river.

These were all passenger-carrying (a few, vehicles as well, but no
trolleys). There were additionally several colliery inclines on the South
Side, such as dotted a good part of southwestern Pennsylvania.

Why the inclines were not part of the street railway system as they were in
Cincinnati is an interesting question. The two cities have similar
topographies (Pittsburgh's is considerably more precipitous) and similarly
laid-out networks. Of Cincinnati's five inclines, one bit the dust before
the turn of the century and only two survived the 1920s. Equally curious is
why Price Hill, last survivor but one, alone of the five never carried
streetcars.

Off topic, I know.

Don Galt
galtfd at compuserve.com