The Carolwood Pacific Railroad was a 7 1⁄4-inch (184 mm) gauge
ridable miniature railroad run by the American animator and producer
Walt Disney at his home in the Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles,
California. It featured the Lilly Belle, a 1:8-scale live steam
locomotive named after his wife Lillian and built by the Walt Disney
Studios' machine shop. It pulled a set of freight cars, as well as a
caboose that was built almost entirely by Disney himself. The railroad,
which became operational in 1950, was 2,615 feet (797 m) long and
encircled his house. It attracted visitors who rode and occasionally
drove the miniature train. In 1953, after a guest was injured in an
accident, the railroad was closed to the public. It inspired Disney to
include an encircling railroad in the design for Disneyland in Anaheim,
California. Railroad attractions in Disney theme parks around the world
are now commonplace.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolwood_Pacific_Railroad>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1831:
Aboard HMS Beagle, Charles Darwin left Plymouth, England, on
the expedition to South America that made his name as a naturalist.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_voyage_of_HMS_Beagle>
1932:
New York City's Radio City Music Hall opened with the world's
largest auditorium at the time.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_City_Music_Hall>
2008:
In response to rocket attacks from Palestinian armed groups,
Israel launched a surprise attack against the Gaza Strip, opening the
three-week Gaza War.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaza_War_%282008%E2%80%9309%29>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
trice:
Now only in the term in a trice: a very short time; an instant, a
moment. [...]
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/trice>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
The greatness of human actions is measured by the inspiration
that it brings. Blessed is he who carries within himself a God, an ideal
of beauty and obeys it: an ideal of art, ideal of science, ideal of
country, ideal virtues of the Gospel! These are the wellsprings of great
thoughts and great actions. All reflections illuminate infinity.
--Louis Pasteur
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Louis_Pasteur>