I traveled to Pittsburgh by myself, and riding the Duquesne Incline up Mount Washington is one of the things I loved most about the trip. It had been a while since my last solo adventure, so I was excited, and it felt like peak Lo in the City energy. The trip was a random side quest. I had been in Cincinnati for a month after my Aunt Ann passed away.
Traveling solo means you are your own photographer unless someone steps in. I was setting up my DJI camera at the overlook when an older couple I had never met offered to take my picture. They told me they knew how to “get the angles,” which was sweet.
I filmed the ride for a YouTube Short, so you can watch it here and then come back for everything you need to know before you go.
Riding a piece of history
The ride up is smooth. It surprised me that it was not noisy or rickety at all. You feel the incline lift you up the hill, and the historic wood of the car makes it feel like what it is: a piece of Pittsburgh history that still works. The views start as you climb and get even better on the way down. These cars have been climbing Mount Washington since 1877.
Bring cash. The incline asks for exact fare in cash, and a Pittsburgh Regional Transit pass also works. Check the Duquesne Incline website for current fares before you go.
The view from the top
I went early in the day, and the top was not crowded at all. The sun was beaming and the sky was clear, so Pittsburgh’s skyline sat across the water with the bridges running right through it. Pittsburgh has 446 bridges, according to a 2006 count by bridge historian Bob Regan, which is more than Venice. From the overlook, the Point, where the city’s rivers meet, sits right beside the Golden Triangle of downtown.
I will say this with all the shade I can manage: it is not Cincinnati. Cincinnati is my hometown, and my loyalty is on the record. Pittsburgh is still a beautiful sight.
Standing up there on a solo trip, everything looked smaller and my mind felt bigger.
Seeing how the wheels turn
One of my favorite parts was seeing how the wheels turn under the incline. The machine room at the upper station still runs on original wooden equipment from 1877, and you can watch it work while the cars move. The upper station also has a small museum of Pittsburgh history, so give yourself a little time at the top.
The history behind the ride
The Duquesne Incline opened to the public on May 20, 1877. At the time, it was one of four inclines serving the summit of Coal Hill, which later became known as Mount Washington. It was planned as a freight-and-passenger incline, which made sense for a hill that workers and cargo both had to climb.
Samuel Diescher, a Hungarian-American civil engineer, was behind it. The Duquesne Incline was the first incline he designed and built, and he went on to become the country’s foremost incline builder.
The Duquesne Inclined Plane Company ran it from 1877 until 1962, when it closed because of financial hardship. Neighbors from Duquesne Heights and Mount Washington raised money, repaired it and reopened it on July 1, 1963. They formed the Society for the Preservation of the Duquesne Heights Incline in 1964, and that nonprofit still operates it today. The Duquesne Incline and the nearby Monongahela Incline are now the only two 19th century inclines left running in the city.
Cincinnati had inclines too. The Price Hill Incline opened in 1875, two years before this one. I noticed which city kept theirs.
The rest of my Pittsburgh trip
The incline was one stop on this trip. I also went to Randyland and the Mattress Factory museum, and I made time for dinner. I’ll share more detailed posts about both but spoiler alert: I hated Randyland LOL!
What I’d skip
Nothing. This place had great merchandise and great views, and I loved all of it. I took home a Duquesne Incline magnet and two postcards. If you are planning a solo trip to Pittsburgh, put the Duquesne Incline on the list.
Plan your visit
- Where: the lower station is at 1197 West Carson Street in Pittsburgh.
- Payment: exact cash fare, or a Pittsburgh Regional Transit pass.
- Time: the ride itself lasts a few minutes, so plan extra time for the overlook, the museum and the machine room.
- Restrooms: there are no public restrooms at the incline.
- Hours and fares: check the official website before you go, since both can change.
Tell me about the first trip you took by yourself, and who ended up taking your photos!?
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