Sylvester was an engineer involved in canal building in PA and engineering in KY for the Lexington & Frankfort Railroad Company. He also worked on the Lehigh Canal. Sylvester worked with his brother Ashbel on many projects. He is best known for his engineering skills as the chief engineer of the Allegheny Portage Railroad, which utilized an inclined-plane type railroad system. It was one of the most unusual passenger transportation systems ever devised in the United States.
The Allegheny Portage Railroad ran 36.65 miles from Hollidaysburg to Johnstown. There were five inclined planes, varying in inclination from 4 to 6 degrees, connected by relatively level rail sections between, on the Hollidaysburg side of the mountain; and five descending planes on the Johnstown side, with longer stretches of railroad between. Sylvester moved to Frankfort in the late 1830's to take the job of Chief Engineer for the State of Kentucky to plan and supervise the construction of navigation locks on the Kentucky River.
Sylvester was married twice, his second wife was Arabella (Scott) Davis (abt 1800-1878) daughter of Col. (Dr.) John Mitchell and Catherine Ware Scott. She married Sylvester on 13 November, 1838 in Franklin Co. KY. They were parents of the following children: Mary Dudley, Louisa, Elizabeth Sharp, Arabella Scott and Sylvester.
The Allegheny Portage Railroad ran 36.65 miles from Hollidaysburg to Johnstown. There were five inclined planes, varying in inclination from 4 to 6 degrees, connected by relatively level rail sections between, on the Hollidaysburg side of the mountain; and five descending planes on the Johnstown side, with longer stretches of railroad between. Sylvester moved to Frankfort in the late 1830's to take the job of Chief Engineer for the State of Kentucky to plan and supervise the construction of navigation locks on the Kentucky River.
Sylvester was married twice, his second wife was Arabella (Scott) Davis (abt 1800-1878) daughter of Col. (Dr.) John Mitchell and Catherine Ware Scott. She married Sylvester on 13 November, 1838 in Franklin Co. KY. They were parents of the following children: Mary Dudley, Louisa, Elizabeth Sharp, Arabella Scott and Sylvester.
Sylvester was an engineer involved in canal building in PA and engineering in KY for the Lexington & Frankfort Railroad Company. He also worked on the Lehigh Canal. Sylvester worked with his brother Ashbel on many projects. He is best known for his engineering skills as the chief engineer of the Allegheny Portage Railroad, which utilized an inclined-plane type railroad system. It was one of the most unusual passenger transportation systems ever devised in the United States.
The Allegheny Portage Railroad ran 36.65 miles from Hollidaysburg to Johnstown. There were five inclined planes, varying in inclination from 4 to 6 degrees, connected by relatively level rail sections between, on the Hollidaysburg side of the mountain; and five descending planes on the Johnstown side, with longer stretches of railroad between. Sylvester moved to Frankfort in the late 1830's to take the job of Chief Engineer for the State of Kentucky to plan and supervise the construction of navigation locks on the Kentucky River.
Sylvester was married twice, his second wife was Arabella (Scott) Davis (abt 1800-1878) daughter of Col. (Dr.) John Mitchell and Catherine Ware Scott. She married Sylvester on 13 November, 1838 in Franklin Co. KY. They were parents of the following children: Mary Dudley, Louisa, Elizabeth Sharp, Arabella Scott and Sylvester.
The Allegheny Portage Railroad ran 36.65 miles from Hollidaysburg to Johnstown. There were five inclined planes, varying in inclination from 4 to 6 degrees, connected by relatively level rail sections between, on the Hollidaysburg side of the mountain; and five descending planes on the Johnstown side, with longer stretches of railroad between. Sylvester moved to Frankfort in the late 1830's to take the job of Chief Engineer for the State of Kentucky to plan and supervise the construction of navigation locks on the Kentucky River.
Sylvester was married twice, his second wife was Arabella (Scott) Davis (abt 1800-1878) daughter of Col. (Dr.) John Mitchell and Catherine Ware Scott. She married Sylvester on 13 November, 1838 in Franklin Co. KY. They were parents of the following children: Mary Dudley, Louisa, Elizabeth Sharp, Arabella Scott and Sylvester.
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