Inclined Plane work may resume in June; engineer to review report, recommend path forward

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Work on the Johnstown Inclined Plane restoration could resume in early June, after the project’s mechanical engineer of record reviews a report from the manufacturer of the Incline’s “sheave wheels” on issues with the wheels’ rims and recommends a plan of action.

Cambria County Transit Authority Executive Director Rose Lucey-Noll said a report needed to identify a new way forward was due late Friday.

Work on the $15 million renovation project has been paused since November after crews noticed an issue “directly impacting” the movement of the funicular’s cars.

Last month, the authority announced that an independent expert engineer found damage to the “safety cable rope,” used as part of the backup brake system. Several broken strands on the safety cable rope were identified and determined most likely to have been damaged during construction activities.

During the inspection, concerns were raised about the hardness of the metal in the rims of the massive sheave wheels, which turn on axles and guide the Incline’s main cables.

Expert engineers from Conroy Engineering, of Pittsburgh, determined “errors occurred in the fabrication of the rims on the main haul and safety sheave wheels.”

Wheel manufacturer Plant Services Group, of Punxsutawney, was to submit its report on the wheels by the end of business Friday for review by the engineer of record, HNTB, of Kansas City, Missouri, which will then recommend a new plan of action to be reviewed by CamTran and the state.

In addition to laying out the work and materials required, the plan is likely to identify who will be responsible for additional costs.

Earlier this month, Lucey-Noll said, “The responsible party for payment will be identified once we receive the report.”