{{Short description|Funicular railway in Dubuque, Iowa, USA}} {{Use American English|date=January 2023}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2022}}{{Infobox rail line | name = Fenelon Place Elevator | image = File:Dubuque IA - 4th Street Elevator.jpg | image_width = | caption = Fenelon Place Elevator in Dubuque, Iowa | type = Commuter rail | system = | status = | locale = Dubuque, Iowa | start = Hilltop | end = | stations = 2 | routes = | daily_ridership = N/A | open = | close = | owner = Fenelon Place Elevator Company | operator = Fenelon Place Elevator Company<ref>{{cite web |title=About |url=https://www.fenelonplaceelevator.com/about/ |website=Fenelon Place Elevator Company |access-date=2026-03-19}}</ref> | character = Commuter rail line | linelength = 296 feet (90 m) | tracklength = | tracks = | gauge = {{track gauge|3ft}} | electrification = | speed = | elevation = | coordinates = {{coord|42.49645|-90.66905|display=inline,title}} | map = {{routemap |inline = y |title = Fenelon Place Elevator |map = KBHFa~~512 Fenelon Place LOCK2d!~STR KBHFe~~Hilltop }} }}
The '''Fenelon Place Elevator''' (also known as the '''Fourth Street Elevator''') is a {{RailGauge|3ft|lk=on}} narrow gauge<ref>{{Cite web|title=Trams of the World 2017|url=http://blickpunktstrab.net/wordpress2/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/tramsderwelt2017.pdf|publisher=Blickpunkt Straßenbahn|date=January 24, 2017|access-date=February 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170216202427/http://blickpunktstrab.net/wordpress2/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/tramsderwelt2017.pdf|archive-date=February 16, 2017}}</ref> funicular railway located in Dubuque, Iowa, United States. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.<ref name="latimes">Stewart, Connie (2011-11-05). [http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-hometown-dubuque-20111106,0,561245.story Railway not inclined to be a target]. ''LA Times''. Retrieved on 2011-11-07.</ref> It was included as a contributing property in the Cathedral Historic District in 1985,<ref name="Hawks">{{cite web |author1=Hawks |first=Lisa |author2=Myhre-Gonyier |first2=Pam |title=Cathedral Historic District |url={{NRHP url|id=85002501}} |access-date=2017-01-03 |publisher=National Park Service}} with {{NRHP url|id=85002501|photos=y|title=photos}}</ref> and in the Fenelon Place Residential Historic District in 2015.<ref name="Jacobsen">{{cite web |author=Jacobsen |first=James E. |title=Fenelon Place Residential Historic District |url=https://www.nps.gov/nr/feature/places/pdfs/15000787.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202092138/https://www.nps.gov/nr/feature/places/pdfs/15000787.pdf |archive-date=Feb 2, 2017 |access-date=2017-01-28 |publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
== History == thumb|Fenelon Place Elevator in 1940 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, so he could go home, eat, and take a nap on his break, since he would be unable to do so when he commuted with horses.<ref>{{Cite web |title=FOURTH STREET ELEVATOR - Encyclopedia Dubuque |url=https://www.encyclopediadubuque.org/index.php/FOURTH_STREET_ELEVATOR |access-date=2025-07-15 |website=www.encyclopediadubuque.org}}</ref> The funicular was opened to the public in 1884, charging 5 cents per ride. After several fires, the existing funicular was rebuilt in 1893 on the footprint of the 1882 incline; the 1893 funicular inaugurated the use of the cable car technology that continues in use.<ref name="Elevator">{{cite web|url=http://www.dbq.com/fenplco/history.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020428144054/http://www.dbq.com/fenplco/history.html |archive-date=2002-04-28 |title=Fenelon Place Elevator Company History |work=Fenelon Place Elevator Company |access-date=2011-11-06 }}</ref>
== Location == The upper station of the elevator is located at 512 Fenelon Place, while 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.<ref name="fenplco">{{cite web|url=http://www.dbq.com/fenplco/prices.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150510095940/http://www.dbq.com/fenplco/prices.html |archive-date=2015-05-10 |title=Ride Rates |publisher=Fenelon Place Elevator Company |access-date=2015-05-10 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dbq.com/fenplco/info.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020428143712/http://www.dbq.com/fenplco/info.html |archive-date=April 28, 2002 |title=Fenelon Place Elevator Company |publisher=Fenelon Place Elevator Company |access-date=2015-05-10 }}</ref>
== Function == The funicular is {{convert|296|ft|m}} long, and angles up at 41 degrees with a vertical elevation of {{convert|189<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fenelonplaceelevator.com/ |title=Home |website=fenelonplaceelevator.com}}</ref>|ft|m|1}}. 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History and Types of Elevators |url=https://www.edinformatics.com/inventions_inventors/elevator.htm |access-date=2025-07-15 |website=www.edinformatics.com}}</ref>
== Notability == The 4th Street Elevator is one of the few remaining funicular railways in the United States, making it a rare attraction.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-04-10 |title=Arcane Details About Funiculars |url=https://www.goldentoday.com/arcane-details-about-funiculars/ |access-date=2025-07-15 |website=GoldenToday |language=en}}</ref>
The 4th Street Elevator is also known as the "World's Shortest and Steepest Scenic Railway",<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fenelon Place Elevator Company {{!}} World's Shortest & Steepest Railroad |url=https://www.fenelonplaceelevator.com/ |access-date=2025-07-15 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=World's Shortest And Steepest Scenic Railway: world record in Dubuque, Iowa |url=http://www.worldrecordacademy.org/2023/6/worlds-shortest-and-steepest-scenic-railway-world-record-in-dubuque-iowa-423261 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241108041627/http://www.worldrecordacademy.org/2023/6/worlds-shortest-and-steepest-scenic-railway-world-record-in-dubuque-iowa-423261 |archive-date=November 8, 2024 |access-date=2025-07-15 |language=en |url-status=live }}</ref> though a more accurate claim would be that it is the shortest, steepest railroad in the United States.<ref>{{Cite book |last=O'Brien |first=Cynthia |title=2021 Book of World Records |last2=Mitchell |first2=Abigail |last3=Bright |first3=Michael |last4=Sommerville |first4=Donald |last5=Van der Meer |first5=Antonia |publisher=Scholastic inc. |year=2020 |isbn=978-1-338-66605-2 |location=New York, NY |page=224}}</ref>
== See also == * List of funicular railways
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == {{Commons category|Fenelon Place Elevator}} *[http://www.fenelonplaceelevator.com Fenelon Place Elevator Company web site] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20141217084754/http://www.eastonsarticle.com/ ''Easton's Article'' web site] - production used the Fenelon Place Elevator as a featured movie location in December 2010
{{National Register of Historic Places}} {{NRHP in Dubuque, Iowa}}
Category:3 ft gauge railways in the United States Category:Culture of Dubuque, Iowa Category:Buildings and structures in Dubuque, Iowa Category:Funicular railways in the United States Category:National Register of Historic Places in Dubuque, Iowa Category:Passenger rail transportation in Iowa Category:Transportation in Dubuque, Iowa Category:Tourist attractions in Dubuque, Iowa Category:1882 establishments in Iowa Category:Cableways on the National Register of Historic Places Category:Rail infrastructure on the National Register of Historic Places in Iowa Category:Individually listed contributing properties to historic districts on the National Register in Iowa