Spirit Mountain’s Alpine Roller Coaster is pretty neat, but the old Duluth Skyride looks a bit more intimidating
Originally called the Incline Plane Railway, this tram system started service in 1891, carrying passengers up Seventh Avenue West from Superior Street to Ninth Street. The photo above makes it look downright terrifying.
And, of course, there was one day in which it was indeed a terrifying ride, though no one was on it.
On May 28, 1901, a fire started in a coal bin in the engine room of the powerhouse. Wind carried the fire to the pavilion at the top of the incline. The heat of the fire melted the tram cables, and a burning trolley raced down to Superior Street, where it crashed into Superior Street Station. No one was injured.
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20 Comments
Jake
about 14 years agoBret
about 14 years agobfinstad
about 14 years agoThe Big E
about 14 years agoPaul Lundgren
about 14 years agoHere's a detail from the photo above, showing two ladies with some fancy hats preparing to board the incline car.
heysme
about 14 years agoPaul Lundgren
about 14 years agotony d
about 14 years agoPaul Lundgren
about 14 years agoheysme
about 14 years agowoodtick
about 14 years agoFunimag
about 14 years agoPaul Lundgren
about 14 years agonewkid
about 14 years agoI'm so glad this got brought up! I stumbled on stuff about this when researching our move up here a couple years ago, but haven't followed through and wonder about it often when I'm downtown looking up the hill wondering how we do it in the winters. {shutters} I hate driving downtown in the winter! "a terminal was built at 61st & Grand where connections could be made with Duluth Street Railway Co. streetcars." Is that the fantastic house just under I35?? Behind the library and all that?Funimag
about 13 years agoforthetime_being
about 12 years agoLes F
about 12 years agoBonnie Schinigoi
about 11 years agoBonnie Schinigoi
about 11 years agoMichel Azéma
about 11 years ago