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CamTran says the reopening of The Inclined Plane, originally hoped for in June, "could be later in the summer."

CamTran says the reopening of The Inclined Plane, originally hoped for in June, "could be later in the summer."

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Payments totaling more than $650,000 approved at Friday’s Cambria County Transit Authority meeting are part of the final push to reopen the Johnstown Inclined Plane.

The project has been underway since 2021, with plans originally calling for a spring reopening this year.

As work progressed and delays were encountered, CamTran leaders hoped for a late June opening.

“But it could be later in the summer,” CamTran Executive Director Rose Lucey-Noll said after Friday’s meeting.

She says she can understand the public’s anticipation.

“They look up there and see we’re putting in new tracks and they think, ‘We’re ready to go,’” she said. But there is a lot behind the scenes.”

In addition to delivery delays and supply chain issues facing most construction work, the task of recreating 1890s technology has challenged the project team, Lucey-Noll said.

In particular, eight massive sheave wheels that carry the Inclined Plane’s cables had to be manufactured specifically for the Johnstown project. The wheels are cast in 24 pieces and then assembled in another location.

One of the wheels had to be recast.

“You can’t just get them off the shelf,” Lucey-Noll said.

Shipping and assembling the sheave wheels has led to significant delays in the project.

“CamTran does not have a date yet when all eight sheave wheels will be completed,” the transit authority said in a press release issued after Friday’s meeting.

“We will reach out to the public as soon as we have a more definite re-opening date.”

Despite the obstacles, Lucey-Noll says the renovation project has been an exciting reexamination of Johnstown’s history.

“Everyone who’s been in there has been amazed. They say, ‘How did they do that back then?’ ” she said, describing some of the massive equipment built into the steep hillside.

“We have these big machines,” she continued.

“Back then it was just horses, men and cables.” 

Randy Griffith is a multimedia reporter for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 532-5057. Follow him on Twitter @PhotoGriffer57.

Randy Griffith is a multimedia reporter for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 532-5057. Follow him on Twitter @PhotoGriffer57.

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