Gateway Arch - Elevator to the Top - View - St. Louis

Riding the tramway to the top of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. The tram is a sort of custom-made elevator/tram. The Arch was the result of a design competition in which famous architect Eero Saarinen won. The landscape was designed by landscape architect Dan Kylie, who is revered in the field of landscape architecture. During the filming of this, the ride up took approximately 5 minutes. There were ~30 mph winds, so the arch was definitely swaying. The cost to ride the tram to the top was $ 10. Well worth it.

[@Bfyobrian12]

It was terrifying up there. I started getting dizzy from the thought of hanging directly over nothing at the top of the arch.

[@nondescriptbeing5944]

They must have people get panic attacks multiple times a day, I bet.

[@ernestosilva7177]

"yeah it's definitely swaying today with a 30mph wind". That's enough for me to know not to ever go up there, lol.

[@slicksweet1]

ernesto silva lol

[@texanmann]

No doubt!

[@l2kxboost]

Pus

[@driftingsoul7355]

I feel so nostalgic. Percy Jackson brought me here!

[@nathan8262]

YASSSSSSSSS!!!!! Smart water all the way!!!

[@charlleedodson]

SEAWEED BRAIN!!!!!!!!

[@catsoup7820]

Akhil Reddy he.he. same

[@JamesHugoF]

Akhil Reddy same but I've been there as well

[@rileypeterson1796]

ayy same for me, i wanted to know what it really looked like

[@grapiken7766]

This is fascinating. I've often wondered how people travelled to the top in this. It's an incredible feat of engineering. I think I would be too scared to make this journey though. The cars would make me feel claustrophobic.

[@tucker8071]

Yeah...I wondered too

[@redredmon8833]

There's a great video on KZbin showing the construction and its absolutely mind blowing

[@rayburn8282]

You must be a huge pussy

[@Algernon7]

@@rayburn8282 and you must be a huge asshole. Get over yourself, you're not that cool.

[@nondescriptbeing5944]

I've done it twice, it's not so bad.

[@tomlinson1710]

“We started going up, inside the Arch. I’d never been in an elevator that went in a curve, and my stomach wasn’t too happy about it.” -Percy Jackson, Book One: The Lightning Thief

[@fanta12345]

That staffer guy is probably *sick* of hearing that recorded announcement the whole ride.

[@any123-og]

fanta i think they might of gotten rid of it in 2010 when it was computerized when the logic was replaced

[@l2kxboost]

Sure he didn't have much of a career at the arch. More than likely, he is in prison.

[@craigallenfravel-cafcompos3131]

This is what it’s like working as a Disney cast member.

[@cehaddunebuggy3899]

The view is better from the outside. Going up inside is creepy and claustrophobic.

[@ShadyJ911]

Gotta love the timing of their warning and the doors slamming shut.

[@michaelmcdowell6572]

I went in there. its only a 3-4 hour drive away from where i live.

[@xadenwilliams3128]

Michael McDowell same I lived in Cape Girardeau a while ago and went on the arch 4 times. I LOVE MISSOURI!

[@lotusflower5611]

Het I've got a great idea sad pathetic clueless moron.y don't u FUCK OFF😀

[@T0mat0_S0up]

+Joanna cheikho HAAAATTEERR

[@rayburn8282]

Lol

[@20PINKluvr]

I remember seeing the huge line for that elevator when I was a little kid. Didn't know how they did it but when I saw this it made much more sense.

[@remoney]

Ditto

[@MsMoonlitelady]

I was born and raised in St. Louis. I have been to the top of the Arch 3 times. Everyone should take the trip at least once. It's very unusual.

[@arkishianorman]

How long is the elevator ride to the top

[@Froz3nRUST]

Arkishia Norman like 4 min

[@JavanHamiltonTV]

I saw it back in '95 and it's beautiful!

[@machineoblivion]

yeah, they adjust as they go from traveling vertically to horizontally. Certainly a custom solution for a custom situation. Thanks for the comments!

[@tomaiken903]

1:32 Reflection looks like Micheal Myers ready to kill. 😝

[@LimeTaje]

Memories of Percy Jackson...

[@charlleedodson]

childhood...percy was my childhood... so was harry potter...but percy...

[@marianaacortes]

Me too, i'm here because Annabeth, currently i reading the first book of the serie

[@robertoswalt319]

That was interesting. Thanks for sharing.

[@negritorican]

Thanks for sharing this video.....just learned today that there is actually a elevator and observation deck on that thing. I thought it was just a regular arch....wow

[@lilminecraftergaming426]

Well now I know what the book was describing when Percy was feeling sick

[@justinj2144]

Im reading the Percy Jackson graphic novel right now that’s why I looked this up lol

[@tomlinson1710]

@@justinj2144 me too

[@sophiagarcia3457]

I’d rather take the stairs

[@BlackPhoenix623]

I’d rather take you

[@cajayson8301]

Not me. I went up this last weekend. It's much quicker in the elevator and all you have to do is tolerate being squished in for four minutes & three minutes down

[@rayburn8282]

@@cajayson8301 you're kidding me, it's quicker to use the elevator? Who the fuck would of thought that.

[@ladron775]

@@rayburn8282 you'll be alright

[@nondescriptbeing5944]

I wish they'd let people use them. It'd be a fun workout.

[@MMYT1234]

Wonderful view !! I heard this elevator was built in 1968. Great technology !! I want to go to St.Louis to ride in the elevator from Japan.

[@jusdoe1245]

Thank you so much for this video! We're going to St. Louis next week and I didn't think I'd want to go up to the top, and this video convinced me that I'm right... it would scare the daylights out of me! So I'm thankful to see the inside because I imagined the elevators differently, and the views look pretty spectacular, but I think we'll go to the botancial gardens instead.

[@jacksmack77]

Great stuff. I remember being in the gateway arch at the very top looking out at St. Louis ... a long-long time ago...

[@waltz49]

I still have dreams about that elevator ride up but it has been so long since I did it, I forgot where those dreams came from. That ride is a real-life version of those dreams everyone has where the architecture is just weird or sizes of things are just a bit off but it all seems to work Really cool stuff. Thanks for reminding me.

[@omarmccray3282]

I'm going this week so excited.

[@nrdesign1991]

So nice to have this archived on KZbin before the renovation so you can make a comparison

[@raymondgibbs8565]

**covid walks in and looks around** **heavy breathing ** 😂😂😂

[@eating100]

Great building I visit this place in 2005.

[@alldaylong]

This video alone makes me anxious af!

[@PaulCashman]

I'm glad to see that it's been fully repaired since that TV series DEFIANCE. :)

[@sydIRISH]

I've been in the St. Louis Arch 4 or 5 times...I love it there. It sways a few inches back and forth, if it didn't it'd crumble. It's a true engineering marvel. Also, if you're acrophobic or claustrophobic...it's probably NOT for you. It's 630 ft. up, and the ride to the top is in a tiny can that zig-zags. It never bothered me...I was 10 the first time I went up. The place has always fascinated me.

[@LPJMagicmusic]

It can actually sway up to 18 inches, ita crazy.

[@Bfyobrian12]

Lol it's just how I remember it. I always remembered it looking like a slightly large clothes dryer.

[@machineoblivion]

That was the 3rd time I had been up to the top. When I was in St. Louis, I probably spent the most time at the City Museum. That place is unbelievable. I'll post some vids of it when I get the chance.

[@AdamariMedia]

I'm scared of heights but I'm gona go to St. Louis next week I may get on it with my friend

[@nathan8262]

My Great grandpa Estes helped put the window inside it. Sadly, he died in 2005 of lung cancer whenever I was one year old.

[@kraykraycomedy6638]

Amazing engineering

[@ahkaishecheyhi]

Love the chick flipping off the people down the stairs at 2:48

[@Stefanthenautilus]

Glad I'm not the only one who noticed. I wonder if shit went down after that since it's right at the end of the clip.

[@tashalynn29]

Lol

[@gemstoneprincess2890]

@@JoshuaWestbrook nah new York is

[@kellygillan7704]

Percy Jackson brought me lol

[@charlleedodson]

i saw the arch when i flew into the airport when i was about 9. unfortunantly, i didnt get to ride the elevator, but its on my bucket list!

[@EMMAWONDERLAND1]

I guess look like a private bathroom!!!! Very nice riding elevator-metro in the future. WOW look very bluey view so cool I like it.

[@BrendanLikesApple46]

As a St. Louis resident, I have been up to the top at least 10 times. God, I love St. Louis. :)

[@jedisok13]

ha I just watched Vacation again. ive always wondered if Clark was telling the truth. looks like he was.

[@oldiesmusic76]

Before the Arch he crossed the mighty mississip.....

[@Lworld63]

I remember visiting the City Museum and going up in the arch on a weekend trip to visit some friends. Really cool and I really want to go back some time. One of the last times it was reasonable to fly there from columbus for a weekend lol

[@BigElevatorDude707]

It's very interesting of how these elevators are able to operate in that type of shaft. Very cool too! :D

[@bernadettesaumierberger3933]

It is not an elevator it is more like a cog railway and it goes on a track at an angle.

[@imaginealoser2658]

I just looked this up to get a better picture of the scene in Percy Jackson. Tbh, must be pretty scary to JUMP OFF THAT THING!😬😁😬😁

[@charlleedodson]

im reading thay scene right now! i think it was pretty stupid of percy to go up there because the Lord of the Sky is trying to kill him

[@catsoup7820]

Ember Twenty one Yep! So did I! And dang! the elevator is smaller than I thought!

[@bradwooldidge6979]

Yep. I was there in 1973. I wish they would have filmed straight down. Perspective makes it look like the legs of the arch are curving very much in.

[@kdwaynec]

This is like something out of Star Trek. The cars start off going sideways, then diagonally, then straight up.

[@bracebrooks967]

Cool video thanks 4 posting, I've been to St. Louis b4, but never got to ride on that elevator in the Arch, I've been wondering what it looked like on the inside

[@machineoblivion]

Sweet. My Landscape Architecture studio was there on a trip to study some of the sites around St. Louis. We hit up MOBOT as well. I really like the place. :D

[@larryvaughn5929]

I am going to st. LOUIS on Thursday

[@amccaw8467]

Larry Vaughn do u remember writing this comment? It's 2017

[@j_parker2163]

Sickkkkkkkkkkk!!!!

[@cajayson8301]

I went to St. Louis last weekend and went up this elevator. It's VERY condensed so anyone with claustrophobia should not ride it. The top though is AMAZING

[@palmer491]

2:09 i took a picture right where you're standing :PP beautiful

[@tahj314]

Lived in here all my life never been to the top haha

[@abbyburli]

They re-did the entire arch area, it’s much more modern and comfortable now. The museum is also huge.

[@nandkumarvispute4254]

Life time memory

[@oliviapetrowski4553]

We have a field trip to St. Louis in a day!

[@clamentae]

i love the elevators, egg shaped

[@ChaosKnots]

who else came her bc of percy

[@annaf8250]

Me lol

[@charlleedodson]

Me!!!!!

[@the96boii94]

I haven't been to the arch when I was 4 years old Right now I live in California I moved in 2006 I lived there for 11 years when 1 years old I really want to move back I don't like California I started my life in St.Louis and this is where I belong.

[@snapthecrap3]

i remember when i rode this thing at 4 years old.... its wierd how it goes like sideways then all that...

[@patrickrichmond9896]

If you look at the doors on these trams, these are the first ones that came with the trams. These were replaced with full height glass doors.

[@bernadettesaumierberger3933]

Those doors were still there when I went about 5-6 years ago

[@MaryStewart]

i'd love to go up the stairs! :D

[@LinnVaveon]

Was there in 1981 !

[@GhostlyMC]

Just got back from St Louis and i want up the Arch

[@LaurenKim15]

I just went there with my friends yesterday

[@Dominion-1]

So what's up with the little toilet seats they have in the elevator.

[@tommiejang7164]

I've been there and rode elevator many years ago. The reason for the seats is that when elevator goes up and down the arch, it zig-zags around the curvy arch. Because of the shape of the Arch elevator can't go straight up and down.

[@Dominion-1]

Tommie Jang Thanks T.J.

[@lauriebeabea]

It’s called a tram, not an elevator. I guess that has something to do with it

[@BigElevatorDude707]

You're welcome! :D

[@Booga04Minecraft]

Am I the only one that came from Percy Jackson books...?

[@cletusclearwater1758]

That tour guide was not feeling it at all lol

[@SodaPop3092]

How would Percy Jackson and Echidna fight in that small elevator

[@NYUCanadian]

I must be misremembering, as I remember coming down the Arch in the little bubble, but going up was like an ordinary elevator that shifted slowly--like the elevators in the pyramid hotel, Luxor, in Las Vegas

[@bernadettesaumierberger3933]

It is not an elevator it is more like a cog railway and it goes on a track at an angle.

[@neuba2380]

I was actually there!

[@rsBrad]

There can only be one. I'm coming for you

[@WiltonWanderlust]

An elevator that goes up at an angle. How weird. I’ve been past it many times traveling with my family growing up, but we never stopped at it. Maybe someday.

[@j_parker2163]

Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiick!!!

[@jothierry4590]

Interesting. Amazing that you can go up there. But no way. 😂

[@samuriguy909]

see the hyatt hotel to the left on 2:21? I stayed there for a couple days in st louis a few days ago

[@UnknownDestination]

I am sorry you got stuck with someone who did not want to be there. For the record he is not an elevator attendant, those of us who worked at the top had to ride up in car 1. I worked there in 2008 for a few months and miss it to this day

[@Shinzon23]

..that's a hell of a overwatch position... *pulls out barrett* Time to hunt me a police chopper or two!

[@andreaaldrich4046]

Since I was little I've been too afraid to go in this. Even driving by it really makes me feel uncomfortable. Can't say why but it freaks me out.

[@LDF1218]

It makes me think of Defiance.

[@customlioness7372]

Me 2!!

[@overlordteampootis1315]

Sierra Venus Defiance is in st. louis... thats why im watching this too

[@LizzyJaxx]

nice

[@prayashdahal5]

1:32 that's Jim and Pam on the windows

[@davidkidd2961]

Anyone else sometimes get the fear the floor will crumble beneath you or is it just me?

[@michaelyoung7171]

In the early of my 7th grade year in Sept 2012 I went to the arch on my field trip all kids were screaming and one crying going all the way up. when we got up to the observation deck they all the panic except me.

[@albear972]

0:15 The middle seat looks like a toilet with the lid open. 😉

[@philipssecurityates4931]

😃 That's guess true, what I am guess looks like a private spa bath is!!!

[@STL-Railfan]

What's up with the audio "tour?" I was just there this past Thanksgiving weekend and nothing on the ride up or down.

[@LisaSmith-tb8bb]

It looks a little slow, how long is this ride that roller coaster moves to slow

[@curtisboyce5405]

I just went up top today

[@whataboutrob442]

This was all they could come up with....😆

[@bradmizzou]

It's all fun and games until someone farts up there

[@Tr0nzoid]

It's interesting how everyone feels the need to describe the worker in the elevator as "the black worker in the elevator" when he is the only staff member in there.

[@amaitilasso]

Maybe, if you find adjectives interesting. I mean he is in an elevator. He is a worker and he is black. If you find that interesting I bet you would get real hot if they said "he lives in a red brick house" or "he drives a blue honda accord." Oh wait, maybe you are trying to make some kind of "all white people are racist" comment. I get it. "Ensure social justice! Ban adjectives!" I swear, if The Greatest Generation had known how this country was going to turn out they would have drowned their children after winning WWII.

[@LPJMagicmusic]

@@amaitilasso Fuckin AMEN, that or made it a law to always be able to woop your children back to man hood.

[@OfficialAndrewLee]

been there

[@rodneyperry642]

everybody should be able enjoy this as well like me who is in a wheelchair

[@minns5515]

It should be my Wife in a wheelchair

[@nondescriptbeing5944]

I don't know if it's practical considering the observation deck floor is very arched, so a wheelchair could easily go rolling.

[@YAZZYUTUBE]

The guy who works for the arch seemed very uncomfortable in that capsule. I couldn't work there because I would never get inside that claustrophobic capsule.

[@mel_mordecai]

Oh, so they've fixed the hole in it!

[@freshprinceboy3]

yahoo news made me look this up. sweeeeet

[@sherrydieselphelan5434]

Been there done that

[@FatBastardPipes]

The city was renamed to Defiance tho! 🤔​​

[@bebah2000]

Is it safe and sturdy ?

[@RyanA__]

Yup just like what's in my pants

[@RyanA__]

+Jeff Mills no, that's your flat unsteady rusty thing but you can check my telescope

[@arkishianorman]

Are there stairs because I have a fear of elevators and be in a small closed spaces like that

[@LPJMagicmusic]

1076 steps and 630 ft to the sky. But worker accessible only.

[@arkishianorman]

@@LPJMagicmusic lol guess I will have to go up the elevator

[@LPJMagicmusic]

@@arkishianorman you'll be alright ;)