# Super Bowl Incline is running again! Go Steelers!



## dbodnar (Jan 2, 2008)

Every Christmas I put some sort of train-related display in the front of my house. In 2005 I scratch built a g-scale model of one of Pittsburgh's inclines See:


Article on Incline

The model was meant to represent the Duquesne Incline 50 or more years ago. The only significant difference between the old version and the one that runs today is a large Steeler emblem on the back of each car:










A few weeks after that article was written the Steelers were on their way to the Super Bowl so I put the appropriate logos on the cars and ran it until the Steelers won!

Once again Pittsburgh is headed for the Super Bowl so the incline is back in front of the house. 

I also have a live Web Cam running in the front yard. The incline should be running every day from late afternoon till around 9:00 pm. I have it running right now - have a look:

Web Cam

The best view is after sunset - around 5:15 pm EST as the cars and track are lighted.

Go Steelers!

dave 

PS there is a control page that you can bring up to change the settings on the web cam. You are welcome to experiment with the four cameras just be sure to click on "Camera 2 Only" when you are done to return it to the Incline - thanks!


----------



## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

Thats looking great! And they are in service even during snowfall I see. 

What is even more great is that you can build this in front of your house; if I made something like that in front of my house it was gone within one hour, including the webcam...


----------



## tmtrainz (Feb 9, 2010)

Very nice.


----------



## dbodnar (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Paulus on 26 Jan 2011 11:41 AM 
Thats looking great! And they are in service even during snowfall I see. 

What is even more great is that you can build this in front of your house; if I made something like that in front of my house it was gone within one hour, including the webcam... 
Unfortunately the snow changed to freezing rain and back to snow and did a number on the wheels and track - it is static for now but will return!

dave


----------



## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

I have always liked inclines and have fond memories of riding the three or so lines in Pittsburgh, fun stuff. Great models too!


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

The incline is stuck! no movement! 

I also jammed your camera that looks at the driveway, it won't turn left, noticed that on one other, turn right turned right, turn left turned right too for a while. 

Sorry! 

Greg


----------



## dbodnar (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 26 Jan 2011 04:34 PM 
The incline is stuck! no movement! 

I also jammed your camera that looks at the driveway, it won't turn left, noticed that on one other, turn right turned right, turn left turned right too for a while. 

Sorry! 

Greg 
Greg - the incline isn't stuck it is frozen to the track! We have had a mixture of freezing rain & snow much of the afternoon / evening.... I just powered down the winch and left the cars where they are. I'll bring them in this evening and hopefully thaw the track out tomorrow!

No problem on the web-cam - we are back to one camera pointed to the incline.

dave


----------



## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

It's been close to 50 years ago when I rode one of the inclines in Pittsburgh. 

It went up Mt Washington if I remember right.

Randy


----------



## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Cool incline!


----------



## dbodnar (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By rlvette on 26 Jan 2011 07:13 PM 
It's been close to 50 years ago when I rode one of the inclines in Pittsburgh. 

It went up Mt Washington if I remember right.

Randy 

Right you are, Randy - there are two inclines that are still running - the Duquesne and Monongahela - both go from the Ohio river to the top of Mt. Washington - they are in daily use and give a spectacular view of the city!

dave


----------



## Biblegrove RR (Jan 4, 2008)

GO STEELERS!


----------



## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Great model but....










Chedderheads Rule!!!


----------



## Robert (Jan 2, 2008)

Looking forward to going back to the webcam when the incline is running. As to the big game, well my team hasn't had a sniff in a while so I'm cheering for an entertaining gaime and I think this one is shaping up to be one!


----------



## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Dave,

EXCELLENT! GO STEELERS! 

We will be running a Steelers train for the Super Bowl, as welll. I was tempted to get that MTH Steelers 1-gauge set....


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

The cars are gone! 

More weird white stuff all over the place? 

What gives? (I guess it's really cold now!) 

Greg


----------



## dbodnar (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 27 Jan 2011 10:42 AM 
The cars are gone! 

More weird white stuff all over the place? 

What gives? (I guess it's really cold now!) 

Greg 
Gentlemen - I chipped away the ice & have the incline working again - we are scheduled for more snow over the next few days so no guarantees but it is active as I type this!

dave


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I'm on and they are rolling! 

Very cool Dave! (literally ha ha!) 

By the way the camera by the driveway is still stuck, could not get pan to move it, tilt is working. 

Greg


----------



## dbodnar (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg - I believe the pan mechanism is frozen (Literally, again) - the tilt works but there is likely ice on the other servo. Something that can wait for a spring thaw! This winter has been no fun at all! 

dave


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I can imagine! I've left it going on my desk most of the day, nice "Screensaver" of a train! 

The yawcam software works on USB cameras? 

I might have to set up a few... nice enough for free! 

Greg


----------



## dbodnar (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 27 Jan 2011 04:02 PM 
I can imagine! I've left it going on my desk most of the day, nice "Screensaver" of a train! 

The yawcam software works on USB cameras? 

I might have to set up a few... nice enough for free! 

Greg 
Greg - Yawcam will work with just about any camera you can get hooked into a PC - I use an inexpensive composite video to USB converter ( about $7.00 on eBay / delivered) so that I can hook up Harbor Freight's outdoor color cameras - they work very well and can be had for less than $30 with proper coupons!

I designed one of the pan / tilt mechanisms and converted the other to computer control from a unit marketed by the X-10 folks.

The video switching unit is homemade & PIC based - the control software that selects cameras / scan rate & runs the pan / tilt units is from a fellow in Romania and is called EZCom2Web - it is somewhat poorly documented but works very well once you get it figured out.


I have had the 4 camera system running 24/7 for the better part of 2 years - it has been extremely stable - friends from around the country check it to see what the weather is really like in Pittsburgh - I use it to see if the mail or UPS has arrived - It can be accessed from my phone so I can easily check the driveway to see what is happening around the house when I am out & about or on vacation. 

Very useful! 


dave


----------



## s-4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Great idea to build an incline! I love it! Thanks for sharing the photo.


----------

