Pittsburgh EMS performed a high-angle rope rescue to get the passengers to safety. Officials said maintenance and engineering teams continue to troubleshoot and make any necessary repairs, but the incline is closed indefinitely \u2013 again.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s obviously a big attraction,\u201d said Pete Downham, who told Channel 11 he was excited to ride to Mon Incline after coming to Pittsburgh all the way from London for work.<\/p>\n
But his colleague had a premonition.<\/p>\n
\u201cI said \u2013 didn\u2019t I \u2013 coming along, I said \u2018I wonder if it\u2019s going to be closed,\u2019\u201d said Matthew Moggridge.<\/p>\n
This is the second time in about six months that passengers have gotten stuck on the incline. On November 1, more than two dozen people were rescued when the cars stopped at that time. <\/p>\n
PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Nearly 30 passengers rescued from Monongahela Incline after cars stop mid-trip<\/a><\/p>\n Nearly 30 passengers rescued from Monongahela Incline after cars stop mid-trip Nearly 30 passengers were rescued from the Monongahela Incline on Saturday after the cars stopped with people inside. <\/p>\n PRT officials determined that a motor controller failed. <\/p>\n In 2024, there was another closure, just after the start of the New Year.<\/a> That happened just months after 12 passengers got stuck in August of 2023.<\/a> At the time, PRT officials said condensation buildup was to blame.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got to preserve these kinds of things, you know, as everything changes, we\u2019ve got to make sure \u2013 in London as well as Pittsburgh \u2013 to keep hold of the things that made our city,\u201d Downham said.<\/p>\n Officials say once repairs and testing are done, they\u2019ll schedule a state inspection, the final step required before it can reopen. In the meantime, shuttles are running to get people from the Upper Station to Station Square.<\/p>\n On Friday, we asked City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County officials what can be done to improve operations long-term and keep people safe. They deferred all questions to Pittsburgh Regional Transit. PRT officials sent Channel 11 the following statement.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Monongahela Incline is not just a mode of transportation, but a historic piece of infrastructure that requires ongoing maintenance and specialized repair work to keep it operating safely and reliably. While incidents like this are frustrating for riders and employees alike, safety systems functioned as designed and the incline was safely secured.<\/p>\n \u201cOur maintenance and engineering teams are continuing to evaluate the specific cause of this control-system issue and will make any repairs or adjustments necessary before the incline returns to service. As with any complex system, particularly one that includes both historic infrastructure and modern control components, there is not always a single long-term solution tied to one repair.<\/p>\n \u201cPRT remains committed to preserving and operating the Monongahela Incline safely for the long term. That requires continued investment in maintenance, equipment upgrades, inspections, and state-of-good-repair work, all of which are part of our ongoing infrastructure efforts across the system.\u201d<\/p>\n Download the FREE WPXI News app<\/a> for breaking news alerts.<\/p>\n Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook<\/a> and Twitter<\/a>. | Watch WPXI NOW<\/a><\/p>\n TOP STORIES FROM CHANNEL 11 NEWS <\/p>\n \u00a92026 Cox Media Group<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/https:\/\/d1hfln2sfez66z.cloudfront.net\/11-02-2025\/t_c14c6566ca0844cdb89a23bc0c0d10f8_name_Image.jpg\")
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