Pittsburgh's Historic Railway Ride Bestows Breathtaking Views And A Glimpse Of The Past

Riding the rails is one of the best ways to take in some amazing views of fall foliage, especially aboard Pennsylvania's trains. It is only a particular kind of train, however, that can transport you to the best viewing point for the "Steel City" of Pittsburgh. For that, you head to Pittsburgh's Station Square and climb aboard the Monongahela Incline, affectionately known to locals as "the Mon."

This steep railway was built in 1870 to transport Pittsburgh's booming population of industrial workers up and down Mount Washington — what was then known as Coal Hill. It was the earliest passenger rail car incline ever built in the United States and has been continuously used for a century and a half. An estimated half a million people ride its rails every year, according to Pittsburgh Regional Transit.

Ride to the top station of the Monongahela Incline and you can see all three of Pittsburgh's hard-working rivers: the Ohio, Monongahela, and Allegheny. For a real treat, head up the slope as the sun goes down. USA Today Weekend Magazine listed the nighttime view from Mount Washington as one of its Top 10 Most Beautiful Places in America back in 2013. But it's not just tourists who use the rail car — commuters still ride the Mon today. So if you want the best crowd-free view for your photos, travel outside of rush hour. Fortunately, the train runs until midnight every day, giving visitors plenty of time to get the perfect shot of Pittsburgh's cityscape twinkling at night.

A rail incline — also known as a funicular — is a specialized railway designed to climb up steep slopes. It uses a steel cable to pull trains up the sides of mountains, preventing the train car from sliding back down. The train cars are counterbalanced against each other and suspended along a single cable. The weight of one car coming down pulls the other car to climb up.

The Monogahela Incline was designed by John Endres, an engineer born in what was then called Prussia, today known as Germany. As Pittsburgh boomed as an industrial city in the mid-1800s, Endres was tasked by the city with finding a way to get people from the banks of the Monongahela River, where many worked, to the steep slopes of Mount Washington, where many lived. His first solution was the Monongahela Incline, quickly followed by its younger sibling, the Duquesne Incline, designed by his assistant Samuel Diescher. You can still ride both rail inclines today. These inclines proved so popular that Pittsburgh once had more than a dozen of these unique railways. Endres even designed a heavy-duty version to pull up horse-drawn carriages and motor vehicles.

If you like a little bit of a hike, you can plan your visit by riding up one incline and down the other. Walking along the appropriately named Grandview Avenue connects pedestrians in less than a mile. Just know that there is a sizeable hill in between the two stations, and you need to be careful on the climb: Pittsburgh's steep steps have a dangerous reputation.

Once you ride up the Mon, there are some tasty options atop Mount Washington with excellent views. DiFiore's Ice Cream Delite is a neighborhood favorite on Shiloh Street, right around the corner from the Mon's upper station. If you'd rather stretch your legs, Emerald View Park boasts some of the best views in the city with winding green paths. For a peek at what life is like on Mount Washington, you can also walk through Chatham Village — which was once listed by the American Planning Association as one of the top 10 great neighborhoods in America. If you choose to walk Grandview Avenue all the way to the Duquesne Incline, you can reward yourself with a celebratory meal at one of the fine-dining establishments right by its upper station. In particular, the sweeping view and elegant dining room of Le Mont see it consistently named by outlets like Pittsburgh Magazine as one of the top restaurants in the city. 

Pennsylvania is rich in engineering marvels that offer spectacular views. But there's something special about riding the Mon and Duquesne inclines in Pittsburgh. Just be sure to snag the front seat on your way down if you want that amazing view of the Steel City all to yourself.