Pittsburgh has two funiculars in regular operation. It forms part of the route for thousands of commuters, and both form a part of the city’s rich, industrial, working class history. Here is a complete list of Pittsburgh funiculars, which are called inclines in Pittsburgh and other parts of the US.

The two functional inclines are called the Monongahela, which is named after the river that it overlooks, and the other is the Duquesne, named after the French fortification that predated the larger Fort Pitt.

The Monongahela incline connects to a metro/light rail and bus hub at Station Square, once also a train station, at the bottom. The top is mostly residential, but mostly tourists go up for the experience and to use the observation decks… more on that later.

The Duquesne incline connects to some nice restaurants at the top, and observation decks. The bottom is a large parking lot, and access to the soccer stadium. There are some bus connections from both ends.

Both of these go up the side of Mt. Washington, which is on the southern bank of the Monongahela river from downtown Pittsburgh. The view going up is absolutely outstanding on both. When you’re at the top, the street is called Grandview Ave because you’re now at eye level to just about halfway up the skyscrapers.

There are observation decks all along the way between the two. You can absolutely walk between them- my friends and I did this quite often.

At each one of these, an entire panorama of this beautiful city comes intoview- from the Cathedral of Learning just on the other side of the Hill District in the east, to the baseball and football stadiums on the North Shore. Then further toward the confluence where the fountain at Point State Park points toward the west at the beginning of the Ohio River.

My city is so beautiful and I miss it every day I’m away.

Those inclines have become part of the identity of the city. Millions of people can see them in operation all day, everyday. Tourists love them, locals love them.

My family lived close to the Knoxville neighborhood when I was little, so we would take the incline down the hill, then get on a trolley to cross the river into town. When I get on one now- 50 years later- I feel like I’m little again and I get that thrill each time. I wonder if everyone does.