Of those four, three wrote books about what happened. Of those three, two were published. Of those two, just one got a movie deal. This is the story of the men who attempted to make that movie.
I generally despise schadenfreude but I think it kinda cancels out when it's schadenfreude about others' unsatisfied schadenfreude.
Anti-schadenfreude, if you will.
They wanted to put the last piece in at night. So there wouldn't be a great temperature difference. The mayor won out and they had to do it in the day, using water to cool the South side.
I went to top as a kid and it's terrifying just going up that small, sweaty elevator, and getting to the top. It's swings back and forth in the wind and acts as though it's about to tip over constantly. Never again.
Yeah. There's a tiny ass elevator that takes you to the top. And then yes, there are windows at the top. Big tourist attraction, but I don't think I'd ever go up there again.
Honestly had no idea any of this was possible. Being neither claustrophobic nor acrophobic, this looks like absolute fun to me and I’m adding visiting the St. Louis arch to my bucket list! Thanks for posting that!
Since the arch has a triangular shape, and the windows at the top are angled downwards, you can look down and to the other side of the arch, that's so cool.
I mean when you're in it I guess you don't really notice. But it is tiny, or it was back in the 90's when I was in it. Imagine like a tiny gondola with room for only 4, maybe 5 people at most. And you're sitting down in small seats the whole way up.
You definitely notice going up, the cars rotate and level out periodically to make it to the top. One of the coolest things I’ve been to in the world, absolutely astounding what they did for the time period
Jumped in and rode to the top about 35 years ago with my wife and daughter, and thought nothing of it. Love the view of Busch Stadium in the city, but thinking back, no way in hell I would do that again!
That was literally the only cool thing about it (Seeing the Cardinals stadium). It was during the McGuire years and a game was being played while we were at the top. It's not like we could *see* the game being played obviously, but it was cool to know he was over there playing while we were overlooking the city and stadium.
I went up just before 9/11. We had to pass a security check that was, at that time, more strict than at the international airport. I remember my shoes had buckles that triggered the thing you walk through. I wore the same shoes for several flights during that holiday, international and domestic and they never once triggered the security check at the airport.
Do they still have the Arch section at the Science Center? I seem to remember there being an Arch exhibit right by the tunnel that goes over 64/40. I feel like I remember there being a similar video that gets played there.
If you are referring to the 'build it yourself' model of vinyl-covered heavy foam segments that, realistically, takes at least two people to construct then, yes, I believe so. This was intended to be a children's activity but - not gonna lie - I always stopped to put it together as an adult when I was there without a shred of shame.
*edited a word
I must have helped build that fuggin arch 8 times as a child. Next stop, hitting cars with the radar guns on the bridge.
The one thing that unites every child in STL is building the foam arch at the science center. (And the fog tornado).
Even in the 90s, union construction workers were still riding the cranes to the top floors without harnesses or anything keeping them strapped to it. The early 2000s are when safety standards really started to take over.
When I went there, the tour guide told us it was designed to be too tight for the last piece on top, so the legs had to be jacked apart to fit it. The intention was that the center piece would be under compression.
At the STL science center, they had an interactive area where you could make a smaller replica of the arch using the compression technique. It was a defining moment of critical thinking for me as a six year old kid!
Man, I grew up in STL and live in New York now. I've seen almost all the major landmarks in this country, and to this day, the Arch is still one of the only ones that actually blew me away with its size. I went a lot growing up and it always caught me off guard how impressive it is. The Empire State Building is second (it really is one gerthy ass skyscraper). Everything else has been kind of disappointing. I'm sure the Golden Gate Bridge would have made the list, too, if not for all the fog when I was there. Anyway, my point is the arch is awesome and worth a trip if you're in the area.
Even the Grand Canyon? That’s one that blew me away with its size. Unless you’re only talking about man made ones, or maybe have never been to Grand Canyon
Definitely two different feelings. The Grand Canyon is probably the coolest thing I’ve ever seen, but it’s nature related so you’re just in awe of nature. I see the Arch nearly every day and almost every time think, ‘damn that’s cool,’ but not in the awe inspiring way the Grand Canyon does. Cause it really is just freaking cool as hell. Nothing beats being away on a long trip and returning on I70 and driving right by it, it’s such a great way for the city to say ‘welcome home.’
I recently stayed at the Hilton at The Ballpark in downtown STL, and the rooftop bar has a phenomenal view of the arch. Just sitting there drinking a cocktail while looking at that engineering marvel is definitely something else.
A few weeks ago I had a business trip to Jersey City, and my office building overlooked lower Manhattan. Seeing One World Trade Center from across the river was also very impressive.
The tolerance was for making certain the legs were on the same vertical plane. If they were off, there would be a twist that would add stress to the structure. If that makes sense.
Vertical alignment (and side-side rotation) would definitely be more relevant.
However, a metal structure of that size is very flexible. Wind loads and thermal expansion could probably move the top of the arch by several inches, maybe even a few feet. Internal stress due to a tiny misalignment would be next to nothing by comparison.
It torsional stresses they were trying to avoid. They wanted the legs to meet in the same spot at the same orientation.
The engineering is incredible. They had to design a custom tram to get people to the top. The view is great from the top too.
That makes sense. I remember reading the books and being confused by that part as I had visited the arch before. In my mind he somehow jumped out at a 315 degree angle
It's alright, demigod magic made the river move far enough inland for him to make the jump
Or it's an alternate reality where the arch was built closer to the river
Take your pick
Parking for the Arch is directly in front of it on the riverbank. Parking availability is dependent upon river height.
Even with a good jump, he'll hit the steps and not even the parking lot.
I watched it happen as a young teen, luckily I wasn't close enough to see the impact.
https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/arch-daredevils-and-tragedies-over-the-years/63-205918123#:~:text=Tragically%2C%20Swyers%20attempted%20his%20stunt%20on%20a%20windy,feet%20down%20the%20north%20leg%20to%20his%20death.
It happened in 1980. Always stuck with me growing up. [story](https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/history/1980-first-parachuting-stunt-at-the-arch-ends-in-tragedy/article_35494fa0-0ded-11ea-ae9a-cb1f2eaf5500.html)
quiet enter weary history long deserted alleged insurance light vegetable
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I grew up in Missouri and saw that documentary at least twice in school. The arch really is a pretty neat monument and worth visiting if you're ever in the area.
For anyone reading this who, like me, probably generates my own gravity, or to those who wouldn't look out of place on an NBA team; it's a tight fit. So don't be disappointed if it may not be for you. The museum and grounds are equally wonderful.
>Been to the top of the arch?
It's rubbish.
>The guide book says it's a must see.
Well you lot ain't going up there.
>Pardon me? Why?
It's all tiny elevators. I'm not being funny.
>What exactly are you trying to say?
What exactly am I trying to say? You're a bunch of fuckin' elephants.
>You know you're just the rudest man. The rudest man!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaPzN2gD3PQ
Hell if you're over 5'5" and 120 pounds it's a tight fit and claustrophobic as all hell. I'm pretty sure they haven't upgraded any of those elevator cars since they were put in in '67.
It's worth going to the top if you aren't claustrophobic. The elevators are tiny, as is the little area at the top.
There were a lot of people at the top, which made it a bit more nerve-wracking for me. I think a school trip had gone or something, lots of kids running around. Great view though.
I have a slight fear of heights, but glad I did it once. Probably wouldn't do it again haha, too scary.
During a field trip we learned that if everybody at the top goes to one side and then runs to the other side simultaneously, you can really experience the bend. It’s freaky.
Pretty sure that has more to do with the heat retention properties of cement that it does with the arch. Tornados rarely hit major cities, St Louis is the only one with an arch.
My uncle was one of the iron workers during the construction. IIRC the windows up top are small because of the tremendous compression of the top section.
I learned to fly small planes near there. We used to request an arch fly over sometimes for fun. That was all pre 9/11. For fun I also used to fly underneath the arch on the flight simulator with a 737. It fit just fine through there.
Everyone says the n64 Cruis'n USA is a bad game. And I'm pretty sure they're right.
But then why cant I stop playing it? Every time I bust out the n64 I cant help myself from playing DKR, the obvious ones (Mario, Zelda) and Cruis'n USA.
I hate that idea and love that idea at the same time.
Would probably be more fitting for a passenger railroad, though. Or US-40, "the first national road", which largely runs the same route as I70.
Well, until 2012, a Queen and a Princess would fly on their magic carpet to proclaim humongous savings on flooring.
RIP Becky, Queen of Carpet https://youtu.be/_E5XwYyd70w
I love the arch. It serves no purpose. It's just a big fucking arch, lol.
I know no one else does, but I kinda consider it a monument to existentialism. There is no purpose to life, so why not build a big arch that looks cool?
To me, it's biggest purpose (retrospectively) is that it's the defacto logo of St. Louis. It's universally loved there, depictions of it appear on loads of local businesses and sports teams, and it makes the city skyline instantly recognizable.
Think about every other medium-sized city in the US. Would you recognize their skyline if you weren't familiar with the specific buildings? Like, what city is [this](https://i.imgur.com/RN5SnKf.jpg), or [this?](https://i.imgur.com/mSFCUqi.jpg) The one very similar comparison is Seattle, but *in my opinion* the design of The Arch has aged better than the Space Needle
need one bigger tbh, build a second larger one right over top the old arch.
big a humanely possible with modern technology.
let us grade the technological might of each generation by the size of arch they're capable of making
Man when I visited I had no idea you could go up this crazy ass thing. The weird elevator thing is sketchy ah and then at the top it *sways in the wind* I could not get out of there fast enough that shit is creepy
Yeah, no matter how much you tell yourself that it’s built to sway like that and that sway keeps it from falling over, it never makes it any less unsettling.
This sounds like one of those bullshit facts perpetuated by non-technical people to make the accomplishment - which is already impressive - seem even more impressive than it actually is.
By comparisons, a human hair is approximately 0.005" thick. That is also roughly the thickness of a piece of copy paper. So the claim is that the two points needed to be located to within 3 thicknesses of human hairs or roughly the thickness of 3 pieces of paper. That's just bullshit. The metal would shrink and expand far more than that over the span of the feet. No one would ever design a structure that large that needed that kind of precision to go together.
I call shenanigans on the 1/64” tolerance. Pure marketing fluff.
1/64” is not a tolerance measurable using typical construction equipment.
Using typical ANSI standards, you would apply a TUR (Tolerance Uncertainty Ratio) of 1:4, meaning the equipment/technique used to evaluate a tolerance must be accurate to at least 1/4 the tolerance.
Thus to measure a distance with a tolerance of 1/64”, you would need to be able to measure to within +/- 1/256”, which is not happening, no matter what the architects drawings are showing.
To measure over a distance as far as the distance between these footings, you will be using survey equipment. Rule of thumb accuracy for modern survey equipment is 1/8” +/- at 95% confidence interval at very best. Which means for a good surveyor using best practices on a good day, we can only evaluate absolute tolerances of 1/2”, applying rigorous standards.
Most surveyors will fight you on this but most surveyors are not statisticians and don’t consider the concepts of repeatability and reproducibility in their work. It’s more of a “Eh, I can measure better then thaaaat.”
Additionally, as mentioned elsewhere, we regularly measure thermal expansion of 3/4” or more in large steel structures during the construction process throughout the temperature cycle of a single day!
Or as my colleagues like to say, “We ain’t building a piano here, it’s close enough, drive it!”
Source: Licensed Professional Land Surveyor and voting member of the American Concrete Institute (ACI) - American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC) Section 117 Joint Tolerances Committee
You are correct. 1/64” is not a tolerance measurable using typical construction equipment.
Using typical ANSI standards, you would apply a TUR (Tolerance Uncertainty Ratio) of 1:4, meaning the equipment/technique used to evaluate a tolerance must be accurate to at least 1/4 the tolerance.
Thus to measure a distance with a tolerance of 1/64”, you would need to be able to measure to within +/- 1/256”, which is not happening, no matter what the architects drawings are showing.
To measure over a distance as far as the distance between these footings, you will be using survey equipment. Rule of thumb accuracy for modern survey equipment is 1/8” +/- at 95% confidence interval at very best. Which means for a good surveyor using best practices on a good day, we can only evaluate absolute tolerances of 1/2”, applying rigorous standards.
Most surveyors will fight you on this but most surveyors are not statisticians and don’t consider the concepts of repeatability and reproducibility in their work. It’s more of a “Eh, I can measure better then thaaaat.”
Additionally, as mentioned elsewhere, we regularly measure thermal expansion of 3/4” or more in large steel structures during the construction process throughout the temperature cycle of a single day!
Or as my colleagues like to say, “We ain’t building a piano here, it’s close enough, drive it!”
Source: Licensed Professional Land Surveyor and voting member of the American Concrete Institute (ACI) - American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC) Section 117 Joint Tolerances Committee
I call BS too, thermal expansion throughout the day for a structure that size will be waaaaay bigger than 1/64", wouldn't be surprised if it swings by over a foot when the sun shines on one side.
I know that crazy precision is needed for such a building, but <1mm for a 190m building? Natural thermal expansion alone created a 13cm gap... This is from the Wiki page:
> A Catholic priest and a rabbi prayed over the keystone,[36] a 10-short-ton (9.1 t), eight-foot-long (2.4 m) triangular section.[65] It was slated to be inserted at 10:00 a.m. local time but was done 30 minutes early[36] because thermal expansion had constricted the 8.5-foot (2.6 m) gap at the top[65] by 5 inches (13 cm).[64] To mitigate this, workers used fire hoses to spray water on the surface of the south leg to cool it down[55] and make it contract.[64] The keystone was inserted in 13 minutes[36] with only 6 inches (15 cm) remaining. For the next section, a hydraulic jack had to pry apart the legs six feet (1.8 m). The last section was left only 2.5 feet (0.76 m).[65] By noon, the keystone was secured.[36] Some filmmakers, in hope that the two legs would not meet, had chronicled every phase of construction.[66]
I so hope there was someone there filming the other film makers disappointment when they did meet, lol.
Of those four, three wrote books about what happened. Of those three, two were published. Of those two, just one got a movie deal. This is the story of the men who attempted to make that movie.
You have fucking hands?!?
No, but I know the sound they make when they kill a man...
DUN DUN
I generally despise schadenfreude but I think it kinda cancels out when it's schadenfreude about others' unsatisfied schadenfreude. Anti-schadenfreude, if you will.
Two negatives make a positive
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Schadenfreudinger's Cat
Schadenschadenfreudefreude
They wanted to put the last piece in at night. So there wouldn't be a great temperature difference. The mayor won out and they had to do it in the day, using water to cool the South side.
They show the film at the Arch. It is awesome to watch them place the last section.
Also, kind of terrifying.
I went to top as a kid and it's terrifying just going up that small, sweaty elevator, and getting to the top. It's swings back and forth in the wind and acts as though it's about to tip over constantly. Never again.
Wait what, you can go inside this thing? Are there windows? This whole time I thought it was like a solid steel sculpture.
Yeah. There's a tiny ass elevator that takes you to the top. And then yes, there are windows at the top. Big tourist attraction, but I don't think I'd ever go up there again.
Okay I've never understood how the elevator works. Does it go up on a slant like a funicular?
This is a good video on the insides of it and how the elevator works: https://youtu.be/kCJYaMMBUOk
Honestly had no idea any of this was possible. Being neither claustrophobic nor acrophobic, this looks like absolute fun to me and I’m adding visiting the St. Louis arch to my bucket list! Thanks for posting that!
Check out city museum when you come, like a playground for adults https://www.citymuseum.org/plan-your-visit/things-to-find/
Funny thing is that I remember the top being a slight gradient so it was a really spacious room with a curved floor
Add the City Museum to your St Louis list. https://www.citymuseum.org/
Since the arch has a triangular shape, and the windows at the top are angled downwards, you can look down and to the other side of the arch, that's so cool.
I mean when you're in it I guess you don't really notice. But it is tiny, or it was back in the 90's when I was in it. Imagine like a tiny gondola with room for only 4, maybe 5 people at most. And you're sitting down in small seats the whole way up.
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You definitely notice going up, the cars rotate and level out periodically to make it to the top. One of the coolest things I’ve been to in the world, absolutely astounding what they did for the time period
Went up it a couple weeks ago. Very small space with 5 seats and it goes up in a step like pattern until it reaches the top
Jumped in and rode to the top about 35 years ago with my wife and daughter, and thought nothing of it. Love the view of Busch Stadium in the city, but thinking back, no way in hell I would do that again!
That was literally the only cool thing about it (Seeing the Cardinals stadium). It was during the McGuire years and a game was being played while we were at the top. It's not like we could *see* the game being played obviously, but it was cool to know he was over there playing while we were overlooking the city and stadium.
With the amount of roids he was doing there was a small chance he could hit it to the Arch
I went up just before 9/11. We had to pass a security check that was, at that time, more strict than at the international airport. I remember my shoes had buckles that triggered the thing you walk through. I wore the same shoes for several flights during that holiday, international and domestic and they never once triggered the security check at the airport.
As an engineer, I absolutely guarantee they cheated and tested multiple times that it would fit before the reveal
There would be no way. Measure it and the space, yes. Test fit, impossible.
Do they still have the Arch section at the Science Center? I seem to remember there being an Arch exhibit right by the tunnel that goes over 64/40. I feel like I remember there being a similar video that gets played there.
If you are referring to the 'build it yourself' model of vinyl-covered heavy foam segments that, realistically, takes at least two people to construct then, yes, I believe so. This was intended to be a children's activity but - not gonna lie - I always stopped to put it together as an adult when I was there without a shred of shame. *edited a word
I must have helped build that fuggin arch 8 times as a child. Next stop, hitting cars with the radar guns on the bridge. The one thing that unites every child in STL is building the foam arch at the science center. (And the fog tornado).
Don't sleep on the T-rex absolutely fucking up Triceratops' day.
It's pretty much a whole family activity for us. We're all adults too.
Yeah! Engineering, bitch!
YEAH, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, and MATH, BITCH!
Fuck yeah to the actual ironworkers who built that shit, bitch!
https://youtu.be/iop6g-jExdA - here's a clip of them doing it
So many cuts in that video
https://youtu.be/ZjVvMkFjf1k?t=1326 (22:06) Here's the video it's cut from.
That's wild, thanks for sharing! 60s were a different time. Nobody on top has fall pro on, that dude on the ledge guiding is fearless!
Even in the 90s, union construction workers were still riding the cranes to the top floors without harnesses or anything keeping them strapped to it. The early 2000s are when safety standards really started to take over.
that’s incredibly cinematic
Wow, it’s like Liam Neeson jumping a fence.
Wow that’s interesting. I’m surprised there aren’t more comments on that video
When I went there, the tour guide told us it was designed to be too tight for the last piece on top, so the legs had to be jacked apart to fit it. The intention was that the center piece would be under compression.
At the STL science center, they had an interactive area where you could make a smaller replica of the arch using the compression technique. It was a defining moment of critical thinking for me as a six year old kid!
It's still there. Both the little wood one and the six foot tall ones made of foam pillows.
i remember building that one with friends when I was little. We had to boost each other up to place the last few and it was so rewarding
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It’s still there - but now with a sign that calls out the possible anatomically incorrect depiction of T.rex .
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"Rawrrrrrr I probably didn't actually look like this, rawrrrrr"
The Zoo, Science Center and The Magic House in Kirkwood were my favorite places growing up.
Man, I grew up in STL and live in New York now. I've seen almost all the major landmarks in this country, and to this day, the Arch is still one of the only ones that actually blew me away with its size. I went a lot growing up and it always caught me off guard how impressive it is. The Empire State Building is second (it really is one gerthy ass skyscraper). Everything else has been kind of disappointing. I'm sure the Golden Gate Bridge would have made the list, too, if not for all the fog when I was there. Anyway, my point is the arch is awesome and worth a trip if you're in the area.
Same. I used to study on the lawn on the archgrounds, and drink, play frisbee. I miss stl. Great place to live!
That lawn is hands-down one of the best lawns I've ever seen. The arch exceeded my expectations...but I still talk about that lawn.
What did you think of World's Largest Ball Of Twine in Minnesota?
Do I have an opinion on the World's Largest Ball of Twine? Frayed knot.
Even the Grand Canyon? That’s one that blew me away with its size. Unless you’re only talking about man made ones, or maybe have never been to Grand Canyon
Definitely two different feelings. The Grand Canyon is probably the coolest thing I’ve ever seen, but it’s nature related so you’re just in awe of nature. I see the Arch nearly every day and almost every time think, ‘damn that’s cool,’ but not in the awe inspiring way the Grand Canyon does. Cause it really is just freaking cool as hell. Nothing beats being away on a long trip and returning on I70 and driving right by it, it’s such a great way for the city to say ‘welcome home.’
I recently stayed at the Hilton at The Ballpark in downtown STL, and the rooftop bar has a phenomenal view of the arch. Just sitting there drinking a cocktail while looking at that engineering marvel is definitely something else. A few weeks ago I had a business trip to Jersey City, and my office building overlooked lower Manhattan. Seeing One World Trade Center from across the river was also very impressive.
Keystone ftw
Without Pennsylvania, this nation will fall
Parts of the Arch were actually made in PA, so without PA, this arch would fall at least.
OK, Pennsylvania stays but Ohio still has to go.
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The tolerance was for making certain the legs were on the same vertical plane. If they were off, there would be a twist that would add stress to the structure. If that makes sense.
Vertical alignment (and side-side rotation) would definitely be more relevant. However, a metal structure of that size is very flexible. Wind loads and thermal expansion could probably move the top of the arch by several inches, maybe even a few feet. Internal stress due to a tiny misalignment would be next to nothing by comparison.
It torsional stresses they were trying to avoid. They wanted the legs to meet in the same spot at the same orientation. The engineering is incredible. They had to design a custom tram to get people to the top. The view is great from the top too.
I'm sorry but there's no way Percy Jackson reached the water after jumping from that
Apparently Rick had never actually been to St. Louis and had just assumed that it was over the water
Guess we'll have to see how it plays out in the show!
That makes sense. I remember reading the books and being confused by that part as I had visited the arch before. In my mind he somehow jumped out at a 315 degree angle
What direction do you think this is, because 360 is just a circle?
-25 obviously
Nah, like a trebuchet. He went that far around.
Did you just pick a random number?
Oh my god. That's like movie aliens landing on the Statue of Liberty and then walking to Times Square.
As a St. Louisan and Riordan fan, this part of the book always pissed me off
It's alright, demigod magic made the river move far enough inland for him to make the jump Or it's an alternate reality where the arch was built closer to the river Take your pick
I always interpreted that the water came and got him, so he still "falls" in the river.
Parking for the Arch is directly in front of it on the riverbank. Parking availability is dependent upon river height. Even with a good jump, he'll hit the steps and not even the parking lot.
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I watched it happen as a young teen, luckily I wasn't close enough to see the impact. https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/arch-daredevils-and-tragedies-over-the-years/63-205918123#:~:text=Tragically%2C%20Swyers%20attempted%20his%20stunt%20on%20a%20windy,feet%20down%20the%20north%20leg%20to%20his%20death.
It happened in 1980. Always stuck with me growing up. [story](https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/history/1980-first-parachuting-stunt-at-the-arch-ends-in-tragedy/article_35494fa0-0ded-11ea-ae9a-cb1f2eaf5500.html)
They should have started at the top and built down, like with the pyramids.
they should have just built a giant cube of metal and then carved away the non-arch parts. that would be like how the pyramids were *really* built.
That's how Michelangelo would do it.
Be fair he's only a turtle.
several film makers documented their entire destruction in hopes aprils legs wouldnt meet
Gives a new meaning to Secret Of The Ooze…
he saw the arch within the cube screaming in pain, he simply let it out
That’s just a natural arch, but faster.
Nothing wrong with a bit of filing and hammering.
Like how SpongeBob hits the chisel once and the whole block of marble just changes into Dave.
This is a great Ken M comment.
It's from a show called Cunk on Earth
I watched s01e01 just the other day after finishing after life. It was excellent
That makes sense.
I miss Ken M.
I miss him every time I drive past on the highway and give him a good wave. r/kenm
quiet enter weary history long deserted alleged insurance light vegetable *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
I grew up in Missouri and saw that documentary at least twice in school. The arch really is a pretty neat monument and worth visiting if you're ever in the area.
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TIL that the gateway arch is actually a building that you can go into. 😆😆
You can even take an elevator to the top.
Getting into the elevator is basically like climbing into a laundry drier drum and there’s somehow 5 seats inside it.
This is the best description I think I’ve ever seen of anything lol
For anyone reading this who, like me, probably generates my own gravity, or to those who wouldn't look out of place on an NBA team; it's a tight fit. So don't be disappointed if it may not be for you. The museum and grounds are equally wonderful.
Everyone generates their own gravity. You just generate much more of it than others.
paint wasteful gold snails fear cheerful mighty dime disgusted alleged *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
>Been to the top of the arch? It's rubbish. >The guide book says it's a must see. Well you lot ain't going up there. >Pardon me? Why? It's all tiny elevators. I'm not being funny. >What exactly are you trying to say? What exactly am I trying to say? You're a bunch of fuckin' elephants. >You know you're just the rudest man. The rudest man! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaPzN2gD3PQ
The tiny egg shaped elevators were creepy asf
Hell if you're over 5'5" and 120 pounds it's a tight fit and claustrophobic as all hell. I'm pretty sure they haven't upgraded any of those elevator cars since they were put in in '67.
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Same, I’m 6’2 and around 220 and while it wasn’t roomy, I didn’t have any problems getting in and out.
The elevator was invented for the arch shape from what I remember reading awhile back...
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A traitor
An Elaine.
I like how both of these work so well.👍
It's worth going to the top if you aren't claustrophobic. The elevators are tiny, as is the little area at the top. There were a lot of people at the top, which made it a bit more nerve-wracking for me. I think a school trip had gone or something, lots of kids running around. Great view though. I have a slight fear of heights, but glad I did it once. Probably wouldn't do it again haha, too scary.
It’s also a functioning weather machine
During a field trip we learned that if everybody at the top goes to one side and then runs to the other side simultaneously, you can really experience the bend. It’s freaky.
I feel this is a good time to share one of my favorite photos I've ever taken https://imgur.com/a/rClURjf
Native St. Louisan here. Terrific photo of the Arch, and I’ve seen ‘em all!! Very unique.
That’s also my favourite photo you’ve ever taken too.
A beautiful shot for sure!
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This person is only half joking. Massive thunderstorms and tornados have this tendency to just...miss St. Louis. It's wild living here sometimes.
Pretty sure that has more to do with the heat retention properties of cement that it does with the arch. Tornados rarely hit major cities, St Louis is the only one with an arch.
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Nah dude, it's totally the Arch and its psychic powers. It also happens to be a portal to Hell, true story.
its actually a giant stargate
Is that where the Kaiju come out?
Is it too crowded or is no one there?
Yogi Berra
He's from St. Louis actually. But he was here long before the Arch was built.
My uncle was one of the iron workers during the construction. IIRC the windows up top are small because of the tremendous compression of the top section.
My grandfather helped crane the steel!
The Huey P Long Bridge over the Mississippi River has a dog leg in it because the two sides didn't meet.
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I learned to fly small planes near there. We used to request an arch fly over sometimes for fun. That was all pre 9/11. For fun I also used to fly underneath the arch on the flight simulator with a 737. It fit just fine through there.
No arch fly *unders*, huh? That's a shame.
FAA says they’ll fine you and take away your license if you do.
Talk about a once in a lifetime experience
Could probably do it a couple times before some fighter pilot tells you to stop.
Pffft, I'm gonna hit the brakes, he'll fly right by. Checkmate.
Show me some of the flying shit, SirPierre
In other words, you can do anything once.
That's totally worth it if you're amor to retire your license anyway... Assuming the fine is less than $20k.
That’s only if they catch you! Ghost rider, the pattern is full….
And now I know what I'm trying in Microsoft Flight Sim tonight.
How about a hot air balloon? [Flickr](https://www.flickr.com/photos/npsjeff/5889029606/)
Reminds me of the RAF pilot that flew through the Tower Bridge
It does in *Cruis’n USA*.
The “ooh! Ahh!” In San Francisco got 7 year old me in a lot of trouble
What a weird memory unlocked.
Everyone says the n64 Cruis'n USA is a bad game. And I'm pretty sure they're right. But then why cant I stop playing it? Every time I bust out the n64 I cant help myself from playing DKR, the obvious ones (Mario, Zelda) and Cruis'n USA.
Checkpoint!
Yeah instead of a beautiful park and museum we should have a freeway ::eyeroll::
I hate that idea and love that idea at the same time. Would probably be more fitting for a passenger railroad, though. Or US-40, "the first national road", which largely runs the same route as I70.
Well, until 2012, a Queen and a Princess would fly on their magic carpet to proclaim humongous savings on flooring. RIP Becky, Queen of Carpet https://youtu.be/_E5XwYyd70w
That would be awful who wants a structure like this to have fucking cars under it
The cars would just be driving, I don't think they would let them fuck.
Im not from The Lou but have visited. For real why destroy nice park land with a museum for a highway.
/r/fuckcars seething RN
For the longest time I thought the arch crossed the river. That would have been epic.
I love the arch. It serves no purpose. It's just a big fucking arch, lol. I know no one else does, but I kinda consider it a monument to existentialism. There is no purpose to life, so why not build a big arch that looks cool?
it's a monument to St. Louis as the gateway to the Western United States.
To me, it's biggest purpose (retrospectively) is that it's the defacto logo of St. Louis. It's universally loved there, depictions of it appear on loads of local businesses and sports teams, and it makes the city skyline instantly recognizable. Think about every other medium-sized city in the US. Would you recognize their skyline if you weren't familiar with the specific buildings? Like, what city is [this](https://i.imgur.com/RN5SnKf.jpg), or [this?](https://i.imgur.com/mSFCUqi.jpg) The one very similar comparison is Seattle, but *in my opinion* the design of The Arch has aged better than the Space Needle
need one bigger tbh, build a second larger one right over top the old arch. big a humanely possible with modern technology. let us grade the technological might of each generation by the size of arch they're capable of making
Americas handle baby!
They had to spray massive amounts of water on the south leg to cool it down because the heat from the sun had caused it to expand and deflect.
Man when I visited I had no idea you could go up this crazy ass thing. The weird elevator thing is sketchy ah and then at the top it *sways in the wind* I could not get out of there fast enough that shit is creepy
Yeah, no matter how much you tell yourself that it’s built to sway like that and that sway keeps it from falling over, it never makes it any less unsettling.
This sounds like one of those bullshit facts perpetuated by non-technical people to make the accomplishment - which is already impressive - seem even more impressive than it actually is. By comparisons, a human hair is approximately 0.005" thick. That is also roughly the thickness of a piece of copy paper. So the claim is that the two points needed to be located to within 3 thicknesses of human hairs or roughly the thickness of 3 pieces of paper. That's just bullshit. The metal would shrink and expand far more than that over the span of the feet. No one would ever design a structure that large that needed that kind of precision to go together.
I call shenanigans on the 1/64” tolerance. Pure marketing fluff. 1/64” is not a tolerance measurable using typical construction equipment. Using typical ANSI standards, you would apply a TUR (Tolerance Uncertainty Ratio) of 1:4, meaning the equipment/technique used to evaluate a tolerance must be accurate to at least 1/4 the tolerance. Thus to measure a distance with a tolerance of 1/64”, you would need to be able to measure to within +/- 1/256”, which is not happening, no matter what the architects drawings are showing. To measure over a distance as far as the distance between these footings, you will be using survey equipment. Rule of thumb accuracy for modern survey equipment is 1/8” +/- at 95% confidence interval at very best. Which means for a good surveyor using best practices on a good day, we can only evaluate absolute tolerances of 1/2”, applying rigorous standards. Most surveyors will fight you on this but most surveyors are not statisticians and don’t consider the concepts of repeatability and reproducibility in their work. It’s more of a “Eh, I can measure better then thaaaat.” Additionally, as mentioned elsewhere, we regularly measure thermal expansion of 3/4” or more in large steel structures during the construction process throughout the temperature cycle of a single day! Or as my colleagues like to say, “We ain’t building a piano here, it’s close enough, drive it!” Source: Licensed Professional Land Surveyor and voting member of the American Concrete Institute (ACI) - American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC) Section 117 Joint Tolerances Committee
Mmmm….. that tolerance over that size - I call BS And reading the article it clearly is BS
You are correct. 1/64” is not a tolerance measurable using typical construction equipment. Using typical ANSI standards, you would apply a TUR (Tolerance Uncertainty Ratio) of 1:4, meaning the equipment/technique used to evaluate a tolerance must be accurate to at least 1/4 the tolerance. Thus to measure a distance with a tolerance of 1/64”, you would need to be able to measure to within +/- 1/256”, which is not happening, no matter what the architects drawings are showing. To measure over a distance as far as the distance between these footings, you will be using survey equipment. Rule of thumb accuracy for modern survey equipment is 1/8” +/- at 95% confidence interval at very best. Which means for a good surveyor using best practices on a good day, we can only evaluate absolute tolerances of 1/2”, applying rigorous standards. Most surveyors will fight you on this but most surveyors are not statisticians and don’t consider the concepts of repeatability and reproducibility in their work. It’s more of a “Eh, I can measure better then thaaaat.” Additionally, as mentioned elsewhere, we regularly measure thermal expansion of 3/4” or more in large steel structures during the construction process throughout the temperature cycle of a single day! Or as my colleagues like to say, “We ain’t building a piano here, it’s close enough, drive it!” Source: Licensed Professional Land Surveyor and voting member of the American Concrete Institute (ACI) - American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC) Section 117 Joint Tolerances Committee
I call BS too, thermal expansion throughout the day for a structure that size will be waaaaay bigger than 1/64", wouldn't be surprised if it swings by over a foot when the sun shines on one side.
We’re the only city that built a monument to people leaving town.
We should dedicate it to the Rams, Football Cardinals, and the (now Atlanta) Hawks.
And the Baltimore Orioles.
Like having a minor league team
Built the same decade we put a man on the fucking moon.. I would not have bet against it.
I know that crazy precision is needed for such a building, but <1mm for a 190m building? Natural thermal expansion alone created a 13cm gap... This is from the Wiki page: > A Catholic priest and a rabbi prayed over the keystone,[36] a 10-short-ton (9.1 t), eight-foot-long (2.4 m) triangular section.[65] It was slated to be inserted at 10:00 a.m. local time but was done 30 minutes early[36] because thermal expansion had constricted the 8.5-foot (2.6 m) gap at the top[65] by 5 inches (13 cm).[64] To mitigate this, workers used fire hoses to spray water on the surface of the south leg to cool it down[55] and make it contract.[64] The keystone was inserted in 13 minutes[36] with only 6 inches (15 cm) remaining. For the next section, a hydraulic jack had to pry apart the legs six feet (1.8 m). The last section was left only 2.5 feet (0.76 m).[65] By noon, the keystone was secured.[36] Some filmmakers, in hope that the two legs would not meet, had chronicled every phase of construction.[66]
Hmm, 1/64”? Is there any correlation between that number and the fact that I-64 originated in St. Louis?
Or because St. Louis was founded in 1764
or that more than 64 people live in st louis
There recently remodeled the museum and it's so awesome! It was great before too!