St Louis???
10-05-2007, 01:05 AM
#1
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Join Date: 01-31-2007
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St Louis???
I don't mean this as a slam although it may very well seem like one and perhaps I just need a view from a resident...
I just took a sort of whirl-wind trip to Scott AFB for a couple of days...landed in St Louis and took 70 East to 64 East to Scott.....along that stretch of highway I have never seen more burned out or boarded up or abandoned houses in my life and I have been to a fair share of cities all over this great country and the world to boot.
What is up with that? Please someone tell me that there is more to see and do in St Louis than what I saw from those highways? I did not get to spend any time due to military obligations and would like to have gone into town and maybe seen more. BUT from the impression I saw from those roads I'm not sure if I would want to
Please someone tell me that was the exception and not the norm for St Louis
Again not meant to offend, just a first impression
Goose
PS- I always thought the Arch was white but I guess not! I was surprised to see it "metal"
I just took a sort of whirl-wind trip to Scott AFB for a couple of days...landed in St Louis and took 70 East to 64 East to Scott.....along that stretch of highway I have never seen more burned out or boarded up or abandoned houses in my life and I have been to a fair share of cities all over this great country and the world to boot.
What is up with that? Please someone tell me that there is more to see and do in St Louis than what I saw from those highways? I did not get to spend any time due to military obligations and would like to have gone into town and maybe seen more. BUT from the impression I saw from those roads I'm not sure if I would want to
Please someone tell me that was the exception and not the norm for St Louis
Again not meant to offend, just a first impression
Goose
PS- I always thought the Arch was white but I guess not! I was surprised to see it "metal"
10-05-2007, 01:23 AM
#2
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Join Date: 09-06-2006
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 1,222
Hey there Goose...
Maybe I can help you out a bit...
From the route you drove it almost sounds like you were talking about East St. Louis which is actually on the other side of the Mississippi River in Illinois just east of downtown.
St. Louis overall is a beautiful city but just like every large city there are areas run down but even the North city area of St. Louis doesn't have that many burned out abondoned homes along the highway...
There are a few boarded up building in the North city area of St. Louis but sure doesn't sound like what you have described.
The East St. Louis area in Illinois seems to fit your description quite well. Unfortunately much of the East St. Louis area needs some major revitalization. That's one area I usually avoid as much as possible.
Do you remember if the "burned out or boarded up or abandoned houses" you mentioned were AFTER you crossed over the Mississippi River? It so, you are right...
And YES... the Gateway Arch is made of shiny stainless steel... No, it's not white... but does seem to change colors depending on the time of day and night and the color of the sky.
St. Louis is a beautiful town and wish I could have showed you around to the area gems and jewels of the city and county (Gateway Arch / Anheuser Busch brewery tours / Forest Park / Grants Farm / Museum of Transportation / Science Center / Route 66 landmarks and attractions / Six Flags / Meramec Caverns / Art Museum and so much more).
Maybe I can help you out a bit...
From the route you drove it almost sounds like you were talking about East St. Louis which is actually on the other side of the Mississippi River in Illinois just east of downtown.
St. Louis overall is a beautiful city but just like every large city there are areas run down but even the North city area of St. Louis doesn't have that many burned out abondoned homes along the highway...
There are a few boarded up building in the North city area of St. Louis but sure doesn't sound like what you have described.
The East St. Louis area in Illinois seems to fit your description quite well. Unfortunately much of the East St. Louis area needs some major revitalization. That's one area I usually avoid as much as possible.
Do you remember if the "burned out or boarded up or abandoned houses" you mentioned were AFTER you crossed over the Mississippi River? It so, you are right...
And YES... the Gateway Arch is made of shiny stainless steel... No, it's not white... but does seem to change colors depending on the time of day and night and the color of the sky.
St. Louis is a beautiful town and wish I could have showed you around to the area gems and jewels of the city and county (Gateway Arch / Anheuser Busch brewery tours / Forest Park / Grants Farm / Museum of Transportation / Science Center / Route 66 landmarks and attractions / Six Flags / Meramec Caverns / Art Museum and so much more).
Last edited by Big Kahuna; 10-05-2007 at 07:03 AM.
10-05-2007, 04:58 AM
#3
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Join Date: 04-03-2006
Location: Peoria. Illinois
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I live in Illinois and agree with Kahuna East St. Louis, Illinos is a hole and should be avoided at every opportunity...St. Louis is no worse than any major city for things like urban decay and has some really interesting places to see...
10-05-2007, 09:31 AM
#5
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From what I understand BR the Arch represents the Spirit of St Louis, The Gateway to the West. I'm sure Kahuna or another local can fill you in.
Kahuna and others..like I said I wasn't trying to be disrespectful to anyone who lived in the area..it's just that I had never been to St Louis and was excited to actually be landing there even though I was going to Scott AFB. When I found out that our route to Scott would take us right through the heart of the city I was psyched.
We took the route like I said....70 East to 64 East...70 East goes through what guess is North St Louis down by the Edward Jones Dome etc..so we were not in East St Louis yet until we crossed the river... So pretty much from Exit 236 on 70 East all the way to 64 East to Scott. To our "non-local" eyes there seemed to be an awful lot of abandoned housing along that stretch of road...
I wish I would have been able to make it downtown to around the ballpark area to explore more but on a 2 day in and out tour it is tough to do too much
I was only asking because after all the great things I have heard about the city there had to be something more than what we saw.
I do have one other question....why is everything made of brick in that area? Seemed like almost 80-90% of the housing between St Louis and Scott was a brick dwelling
I hope to make it back there 1 day and actually do the tourist thing because I would love to visit Busch Stadium and the Arch
Goose
Kahuna and others..like I said I wasn't trying to be disrespectful to anyone who lived in the area..it's just that I had never been to St Louis and was excited to actually be landing there even though I was going to Scott AFB. When I found out that our route to Scott would take us right through the heart of the city I was psyched.
We took the route like I said....70 East to 64 East...70 East goes through what guess is North St Louis down by the Edward Jones Dome etc..so we were not in East St Louis yet until we crossed the river... So pretty much from Exit 236 on 70 East all the way to 64 East to Scott. To our "non-local" eyes there seemed to be an awful lot of abandoned housing along that stretch of road...
I wish I would have been able to make it downtown to around the ballpark area to explore more but on a 2 day in and out tour it is tough to do too much
I was only asking because after all the great things I have heard about the city there had to be something more than what we saw.
I do have one other question....why is everything made of brick in that area? Seemed like almost 80-90% of the housing between St Louis and Scott was a brick dwelling
I hope to make it back there 1 day and actually do the tourist thing because I would love to visit Busch Stadium and the Arch
Goose
10-05-2007, 11:44 AM
#6
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Join Date: 04-30-2006
Location: Maryland Heights, MO
Posts: 9,149
I-70 East in St. Louis does not run through the center of St. Louis, I-64 does.
I'm sure what you are referring to was actually north St. Louis City. I'm guessing you notice the bad areas about half way to the state line. That would mean that what you saw was the ghetto. I'm quite sure it was no worse than ghetto's in other cities of the same size/age as the St. Louis metro area.
As for East St. Louis, you can't even see the worst of it from the highway. But the city of St. Louis's ghetto and also it's oldest industrial area is divided by I-70. Saddly, most of the industry left decades ago. Again typical of many urban cites of the same size/age. I would imagine though, that a drive down one of the other interstate highways would give you a completely different perspective. Much the same, again, as other cities of the same size/age.
This map will show you that I-70 doesn't run through the "heart" of St. Louis. Also note that St. Louis, technically, is only a small sec tion about the size of a quater in the center of the map.
I'm sure what you are referring to was actually north St. Louis City. I'm guessing you notice the bad areas about half way to the state line. That would mean that what you saw was the ghetto. I'm quite sure it was no worse than ghetto's in other cities of the same size/age as the St. Louis metro area.
As for East St. Louis, you can't even see the worst of it from the highway. But the city of St. Louis's ghetto and also it's oldest industrial area is divided by I-70. Saddly, most of the industry left decades ago. Again typical of many urban cites of the same size/age. I would imagine though, that a drive down one of the other interstate highways would give you a completely different perspective. Much the same, again, as other cities of the same size/age.
This map will show you that I-70 doesn't run through the "heart" of St. Louis. Also note that St. Louis, technically, is only a small sec tion about the size of a quater in the center of the map.
10-05-2007, 11:56 AM
#7
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Jefferson National Expansion Memorial
Gateway to the West
The Gateway Arch reflects St. Louis’ role in the Westward Expansion of the United States during the nineteenth century. The park is a memorial to Thomas Jefferson’s role in opening the West, to the pioneers who helped shape its history, and to Dred Scott who sued for his freedom in the Old Courthouse
Gateway Arch
Thomas Jefferson’s vision of the spread of freedom and democracy from “sea to shining sea” inspired Eero Saarinen’s masterpiece of modern design. The 630 foot stainless steel Gateway Arch reflects St. Louis’ role as the gateway to the West.
The Gateway Arch reflects St. Louis’ role in the Westward Expansion of the United States during the nineteenth century. The park is a memorial to Thomas Jefferson’s role in opening the West, to the pioneers who helped shape its history, and to Dred Scott who sued for his freedom in the Old Courthouse
Gateway ArchThomas Jefferson’s vision of the spread of freedom and democracy from “sea to shining sea” inspired Eero Saarinen’s masterpiece of modern design. The 630 foot stainless steel Gateway Arch reflects St. Louis’ role as the gateway to the West.
Jefferson National Expansion Memorial
Gateway Arch Fact Sheet
General FactsOuter Width - Outside North Leg to Outer South Leg
630' (192m)
Maximum Height
630' (192m)
Shape of Arch Section
Equilateral Triangle
Dimension of Arch at Base
54 ft. (16.46m)
Dimension of Arch at Top
17 ft. (5.18m)
Size of Windows
Approx. 7" x 27" (180 mm x 690 mm)
Construction of Windows
3/4 in. (19mm) Plate Glass; Hinged and Locked
Size of Observation Room
7' 2" x 65' x 6' 9" high (2.18m x 19.8m x 2.06m)
Capacity of Observation Platform
100 - 140 persons
Deflection of Arch
18" in 150 MPH wind (0.46 m in 240 km/h wind)
Method of Determining Deflection of Arch
Calculations and Wind Tunnel Tests (240 km/h)
Number of Sections in Arch
142
Thickness of Plates for Outer Skin
1/4" (6.3mm)
Type of Material Used in Arch Exterior
Stainless Steel; #3 Finish Type 304
Structural Capacity of Observation Area
100 lb/sq. ft (488 kg/m)
Weight of Steel in Arch
Stainless Steel Plate Exterior Skin 886 Tons (804 metric tons)
Carbon Steel Plate Interior Skin 3/8" (9.5mm)2,157 Tons (1,957 metric tons)
Steel Stiffeners1,408 Tons (1,277 metric tons)
Interior Steel Members, Stairs, Trains, etc.300 Tons (272 metric tons)
Total Steel Weight5,199 tons (4,644 metric tons)
Weight of Concrete
Between Skins to 300' (91 m)12,127 Tons (11,011 metric tons)
In Foundation Below Ground25,980 Tons (23,569 metric tons)
Total Concrete Weight38,107 Tons (34,570 metric tons)
External ProtectionSix 1/2" x 20" (13 x 510 mm) Lightning Rods and One Aircraft Obstruction Light
"Capsule Trains" or "Trams" operated by Bi-State Development Agency
Number of Transporters 2
Number of Capsules per Transporter 8
Capacity per Capsule 5 persons
Designed Capacity of Transporter 6,000 lb total (2,700 kg)
Total Transporter Weight10,000 lb (4,500 kg)
Weight of Counter Weights13,000 lb (5,900 kg)
Transporter's Speed340 ft/min or approx. 3.9MPH (1.73 m/s)Travel of Transporter748' (228m)Interior Capsule Diameter5' (1.5m)
Thickness of Capsule Skin0.090" (2.3 mm)
Size of Capsule Doors (2)2' 0" x 4' 6" (0.61 m x 1.37 m)
Strength of Capsule CouplingsMinimum of 25,000 lb each (11,300 kg)
Separately mounted motors, chain, and sprocket.
Size of Drive Motor125 hp (93 kW)
Number of Hoisting Cables9Size of Hoisting Cables5/8" diameter (16mm)
Type of Drive MotorD.C. Variable Speed
Operating of Capsule & Landing DoorsAutomatic; controlled by DispatcherSize of Motor Generator Sets100 hp (75kW)
Size of Transporter Track12" (305 mm) Channel - 32.9 lb/ft (49.0 kg/m)
Method of Maintaining Horizontal Position-Front Ring-type frame with 5" (125mm) diameter rolls on each ring - and Rear Trunnion)
Method of CommunicationIntercom system between each capsule and dispatcher
Transporter safeties are maintained on 4 wheel chassis that are connected to the last capsule and which are activated when the transporter exceeds the rated speed by 15% in the downward direction. The safety consists of an eccentric dog that locks on the track to stop and hold the transporter. The safety is connected to the last capsule by means of a hydraulic buffer 24" (0.6 m) long that provides constant deceleration until the transporter is stopped. A similar system is installed on the counter weights, with a hydraulic buffer 18" (0.5 m) long.
Elevators (for stand-by emergency and maintenance service)
Number of Elevators2Elevators (for stand-by emergency and maintenance service)
Capacity of Elevators12 persons
Service Elevators' Speed400 ft/min (2.0m/s)
Type of MotorD.C. Worm GearService
Elevator's Rise Angle78 degrees (1.36 radians)
Stairs (for emergency maintenance use only)
Number of steps1,076Number of Landings105
Symbol Key
m = meters
kPa = kilopascals
" = inches
ft = feet
mm = millimeters
kW = kilowatts
' = foot
hp = horsepower
km/h = kilometers per hour
lb = pounds
/ = per
kg = kilograms
Did You Know?The Gateway Arch at the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial was completed on October 28, 1965. To learn more about the construction of the Gateway Arch click here.
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10-05-2007, 12:08 PM
#10
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Join Date: 01-31-2007
Location: New Hampsha
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I see what you mean Mike...I was told at the airport that 70 runs through the heart of the city but as I can see on the map it does go through the north section.
I'm sure seeing the city from a different route would give a different look. That is partly why I asked the question
Goose
I'm sure seeing the city from a different route would give a different look. That is partly why I asked the question
Goose