Pittsburgh's Monongahela Incline Shut Down

PITTSBURGH, PA — The Monongahela Incline will be closed indefinitely after condensation issues stopped the ride Friday night for about an hour. The move was announced by Pittsburgh Regional Transit, which operates the iconic city tourist attraction linking Mt. Washington to Station Square.

Port Authority police, along with firefighters and paramedics from the Pittsburgh Bureau of Public Safety, were called to the incline about 5 p.m. Friday when 12 people – nine on the car closest to the lower station and three on the car closest to the upper station – were stranded about 50 feet from the stations.

Although emergency responders were preparing to rescue the passengers, crews were able to get the cars moving about 6 p.m. and no rescue was required. Pittsburgh Regional Transit closed the incline immediately after the incident.

The incline will remain closed until engineers determine a way to allow condensation to dissipate more efficiently. The electrical cabinet contains electronic circuitry that connects the incline’s motor to the control system. The air conditioning unit ensures the circuitry inside
the cabinet does not overheat.

Pittsburgh Regional Transit did not provide an estimated reopening date for the incline.