The Johnstown Inclined Plane is an 896.5-foot (273.3 m) funicular railway in Johnstown, Cambria County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The funicular is capable of carrying passengers and automobiles up or down a slope with a grade of 70.9 percent. The incline and its two stations connect the city of Johnstown, situated in a valley at the confluence of the Stonycreek and the Little Conemaugh Rivers, to the borough of Westmont on Yoder Hill. The travel time from one station to the other is 90 seconds. After a catastrophic flood in 1889, the Inclined Plane was constructed in 1891 to serve as an escape route for future floods, a task which it has fulfilled twice; once in 1936 and again in 1977. 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 listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and was designated an Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark in 1994. It had major renovations in 1962 and from 1983 to 1984.

Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnstown_Inclined_Plane

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1670:

Charles II and Louis XIV signed a secret treaty, wherein England would aid France in its against the Dutch Republic in return for French assistance in England's attempt to rejoin the Roman Catholic Church. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_treaty_of_Dover

1916:

Louis Brandeis became the first Jew to be appointed to the United States Supreme Court. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Brandeis

1942:

World War II: The crews of three Japanese Ko-hyoteki class submarines scuttled and committed suicide after entering Sydney Harbour and launching a failed attack. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Sydney_Harbour

1980:

CNN, the first network to provide 24-hour television news coverage, was launched. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CNN

2001:

Crown Prince Dipendra of Nepal killed King Birendra and several members of the Shah royal family in a shooting spree at the Narayanhity Royal Palace in Kathmandu. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepalese_royal_massacre

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

obtrude (v): To project into or on to something in an intrusive or unwelcome way; to be forcibly imposed http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/obtrude

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

There is a legend about a bird that sings just once in its life, more sweetly than any other creature on the face of the earth. From the moment it leaves the nest it searches for a thorn tree and does not rest until it has found one. Then, singing among the savage branches, it impales itself upon the longest, sharpest spine. Dying, it rises above its own agony to out-carol the lark and the nightingale. One superlative song, existence the price. But the whole world stills to listen, and God in His heaven smiles. For the best is only bought at the cost of the great pain. … Or so says the legend. --Colleen McCullough http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Colleen_McCullough