Fenelon Place Elevator
 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Locale | Dubuque, Iowa |
| Transit type | Funicular |
| Website |
www |
| Operation | |
| Began operation | July 25, 1882 |
| Operator(s) | Fenelon Place Elevator Company |
| Technical | |
| System length |
296 feet (90 m) |
|
Fenelon Place Elevator | |
| Coordinates | 42°29′46.7″N 90°40′9.7″W / 42.496306°N 90.669361°WCoordinates: 42°29′46.7″N 90°40′9.7″W / 42.496306°N 90.669361°W |
| Built by | J.K. Graves, C.B. Terwin |
| NRHP Reference # | 78001215[1] |
| Added to NRHP | August 3, 1978 |
The Fenelon Place Elevator is a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge[2] funicular railway located in Dubuque, Iowa. Also known as the Fourth Street Elevator, it is claimed to be the shortest and steepest railroad in the world (although several other funiculars also make this claim). It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.[3]
History
A predecessor to the Fourth Street Elevator was built in 1882 for the private use of local banker and former state senator J.K. Graves. The funicular was opened to the public in 1884, charging 5 cents per ride. After several fires, the current funicular was built in 1893 on the footprint of the 1882 incline; the 1893 funicular inaugurated the use of the cable car technology that continues in use today.[4]
Location
The upper station of the elevator is located at 512 Fenelon Place, whilst the lower station is located at the western end of Fourth Street. At the top there are two observation decks, which offer a commanding view of the downtown Dubuque area. The states of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin can all be seen from the observation decks.[5][6]
Function
The funicular is 296 feet (90 m) long, and angles up at 106 degrees with a vertical elevation of 98 feet (29.9 m). The two cars start at opposite ends, passing each other at the midpoint of the elevator. The two cars counterbalance each other, drawing motive power from an engine in the station house at the top of the hill. The engine only needs to overcome inertia and friction and compensate for the varying weight of the passengers in the cars.
The Fourth Street Elevator is run from April 1 to November 30. The hours are from 8 am to 10 pm.[5]
See also
References
- ↑ "NPS Focus". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. Retrieved 2011-09-07.
- ↑ Zeitschrift Blickpunkt Straßenbahn (Tram Focus Magazine) - Trams of the World 2013
- ↑ Stewart, Connie (2011-11-05). Old funicular is quaint, fun, and TSA-secure. LA Times, 5 November 2011. Retrieved on 2011-11-07 from http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-hometown-dubuque-20111106,0,561245.story.
- ↑ "Fenelon Place Elevator Company History". Fenelon Place Elevator Company. Retrieved 2011-11-06.
- 1 2 "Ride Rates". Fenelon Place Elevator Company. Retrieved 2015-05-10.
- ↑ "Fenelon Place Elevator Company". Fenelon Place Elevator Company. Retrieved 2015-05-10.
External links
- Fenelon Place Elevator Company web site
- Easton's Article web site - production used the Fenelon Place Elevator as a featured movie location in December 2010
