Clifton Incline (Pittsburgh)

The Clifton Incline was an incline on Pittsburgh's North Side designed by Samuel Diescher which was operational from 1889 to 1905. The base of the incline was at 40°27′49.42″N 80°1′11.08″W, connecting Sarah Street (now Strauss Street) near the intersection with Myrtle Street (Now the closed Metcalf Street) with Clifton Park at the end of Clifton Street (now Chautauqua Street). Businessman William McCreery co-founded the incline to provide access to a residential neighborhood developed from his former estate. The Clifton Avenue Incline Plane Company, formed for the purpose of erecting and operating the incline, was chartered on June 25, 1888. Within a year, McCreery offered free incline rides to property auctions on the hill. There were two cars, only one of which carried passengers, the other one being a dummy car serving as a counterweight. A single operator performed the duties of engineer, conductor, and fireman. In 1905 the fortunately empty passenger car hurtled down the track, plowed through the waiting room on Sarah Street and smashed into the front steps of a house.