 After a catastrophic flood in 1889 , the Johnstown Inclined Plane was completed in 1891 to serve as an escape route for future floods , as well as a convenient mode of transportation for the residents of the new communities situated above the valley . It was operated by Cambria Iron Company and its successor Bethlehem Steel until 1935 , when it was sold to the borough of Westmont . The incline was briefly shut down in 1962 when its supply of power from Bethlehem Steel was terminated . Twice in its history , the Johnstown Inclined Plane fulfilled its role as a means of evacuation from floods — once in 1936 and again in 1977 . The incline was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and was designated a Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark in 1994 . It had major renovations in 1962 and from 1983 to 1984 . 
