Mon Incline closed indefinitely

The Monongahela Incline has been shut down for an indefinite time period, Pittsburgh Regional Transit announced Monday.

The 153-year-old incline that shepherds passengers between Station Square and Grandview Avenue in Pittsburgh’s Mount Washington neighborhood has had a slew of problems over the years, including several closures.

On Friday, the incline was closed again after condensation build up triggered the funicular’s emergency brake, stranding 12 passengers between the two incline cars for about an hour before crews were able to get the cars moving again around 6 p.m., said Pittsburgh Regional Transit.

The public transit agency runs the Mon Incline and said a preliminary investigation showed condensation buildup caused by an air conditioning unit attached to the incline’s electrical equipment triggered the emergency break, stopping both incline cars.

The incline will remain closed until engineers find a way to allow condensation to disperse more efficiently, said the agency. Pittsburgh Regional Transit said the air conditioning unit is necessary because it keeps the incline’s electrical circuitry from overheating.

There is no current timeline to reopen the Mon Incline, said the agency. Once a solution is discovered, several test runs will be undertaken.

The Mon Incline has been besieged by closures over the last several years. It was closed between August 2022 and March while an $8.2 million repair project was completed.

A less scenic cousin of the privately run Duquesne Incline, the Mon Incline sees 1,000 riders every weekday and 4,500 riders on weekends, according to Pittsburgh Regional Transit.