Fenelon Place Elevator
| 270px | |
| 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) |
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Fenelon Place Elevator
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| Coordinates | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. |
| 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.[citation needed]
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
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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
Other images
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Operator's House for the Fourth Street Elevator in Dubuque, Iowa.jpg
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View North from the Fourth Street Elevator in Dubuque, Iowa.jpg
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Photo from observation deck of the Fourth Street Elevator.jpg
- Pages with broken file links
- Articles that mention track gauge 914 mm
- Articles with unsourced statements from November 2011
- 3 ft gauge railways in the United States
- Culture of Dubuque, Iowa
- Buildings and structures in Dubuque, Iowa
- Funicular railways in the United States
- National Register of Historic Places in Dubuque County, Iowa
- Passenger rail transportation in Iowa
- Transportation in Dubuque, Iowa
- Visitor attractions in Dubuque, Iowa
- 1882 establishments in Iowa
