Self-leveling inclined lift device

An inclined lift device for transporting an individual passenger includes a rail, a carriage adapted for being movable along the rail, a drive mechanism coupled to the carriage for moving the carriage along the rail, and a support secured to the carriage for supporting the individual passenger. The rail has at least one retaining surface and a guide surface. The carriage includes a housing pivotally coupled to the rail about an axis spaced from the guide surface, a retaining mechanism pivotally coupled to the housing about the axis and a follower coupled to the housing and spaced from the axis by a predetermined distance. The retaining mechanism engages said at least one retaining surface of the rail to retain the carriage relative to the rail during movement of the carriage along the rail. The follower engages the guide surface to pivot the carriage about the axis based upon a distance between the guide surface and the axis.