The Light Rail that runs between Two States

Metrolink is the light rail system that operates in St. Louis, Missouri. It uses previously abandoned railroad infrastructure through downtown and across the Mississippi River into Illinois. This makes it the only interstate light rail system in the United States. There are two lines: Red runs from Lambert Airport to Shiloh-Scott Air Force Base, while Blue runs from Shrewsbury to Fairview Heights. Join Thom aboard a Red line train, as we point out different interesting features of the system. And of course, no trip to Saint Louis is complete without a visit to the Gateway Arch!
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Chapters
0:00 Introduction
1:02 Inter-state Transit
1:46 Lambert Airport
3:20 Train Interior Tour
4:31 Single Track Segment
5:04 Our Route Today
5:57 UMSL
7:04 Weird Track Layout at Forest Park
7:42 History of MetroLink
8:37 Passing the Yard
9:17 Union Station
12:34 Back on the Train
13:38 The Downtown Tunnel
14:13 Crossing the Mississippi
14:44 Illinois
16:39 Laclede's Landing
17:34 The Gateway Arch
18:57 Annoying People
19:39 Conclusion

[@Thom-TRA]

For any future commenters: Please, I’m begging you, actually watch the video. In particular from 1:01-1:49. I don’t want to hear another “you forgot Metra. You forgot MTA. You forgot VRE.” I literally say in the clearest possible terms that I’m only including rapid transit, not commuter rail. It’s not that hard to understand. Long story short: if you say I forgot something, you’re the idiot, not me.

[@JerrellWoolford]

I work for the St. Louis Metrolink system and have a couple follow up comments. The reason for the "weird" layout at Forest Park is due to damage from a flood that happened last summer (July 2022). In fact that entire trench where the Forest Park Station is located was flooded from track level to all the way to street level. As a result, the track switches along with all the electrical components were damaged. Since both lines split off there, Metrolink uses the pocket track east of Forest Park to single track both lines through the station and onto the right tracks is the until repairs are made. (EDIT) As of March 4, 2024 repairs have been made to the signal junction at Forest Park; single tracking for both lines has ended and regular operation through Forest Park has resumed. Also, that low level door that is near the operator cab are for operators to board at the yard stops. Great video and I'm glad you enjoyed the ride on the system. Safe travels 🙂🚊

[@Thom-TRA]

Thanks for the explanation, and thanks for the great work you do!

[@jfwfreo]

Surprised its taken so long to get that stuff fixed (I am guessing its either continued shortages of parts or a lack of funds)

[@JerrellWoolford]

@@jfwfreo it's been a lengthy process. Multiple signal houses and their components were submerged and have to be completely rebuilt.

[@JerrellWoolford]

@@jfwfreo As of March 4, 2024 repairs have been made to the signal junction at Forest Park; single tracking for both lines has ended and regular operation through Forest Park has resumed.

[@jonathanstensberg]

Metro link is slowly working on a new line that will run north-south through the city, using mostly on-street right of ways. If we’re lucky, it might even get built this century

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

Yeah as a former Jersey City resident, no one calls PATH commuter rail, we all call it what it is, a subway. Unlike a lot of other systems across the country and the world, PATCO and PATH both operate 24-hours a day, 7 days a week every day of the year. And PATCO was actually the first system in North America to have automatic train operation! People like to think BART did it first since it opened in September 1972, but PATCO opened in January 1969! I also see why it was controversial to designate the Gateway Arch site as a National Park. While its original name of Jefferson Expansion National Memorial definitely didn't fit, it should've been redesignated as a National Monument like the Statue of Liberty. Because that's what it is...A MONUMENT! A National Park is meant to be land set aside to protecting the country's different kinds of gorgeous landscapes like Acadia in Maine, Shenandoah in Virginia or Arches in Utah, and a park on the St. Louis waterfront...isn't that.

[@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

It's a shame the Metrolink map suggests getting off at 8th & Pine instead of Laclede's Landing for the Gateway Arch, because as you've shown, the views of the Arch from Laclede's Landing are just the perfect welcoming atmosphere for such an iconic attraction. The arch was designed by Eero Saarinen who also designed Dulles International and the TWA Flight Center (now TWA Hotel) at JFK International! The elevator is so cool! A guy (let's call him by his cool surname Bowser) developed with his father elevator equipment that could travel horizontally, diagonally, and normal vertical. By chance, he was in the same room as the Arch's architect and was given two weeks to design and present in front of the team. He knew a normal system wouldn't do, so for the Arch he combined elevator and Ferris wheel elements to create a unique system where a tram of eight elevator pods that by rotating, allows the visitors inside to remain leveled the entire way

[@jimspies2775]

I'm pretty sure the reason 8th and Pine is suggested is so that they funnel people through the new approach to the Arch grounds with the lid over the depressed section of I-44 (nee I-70). With having to walk almost up to Memorial Dr to get to the Arch grounds now from Laclede's Landing, I think 8th and Pine is a small bit closer, too, to the direct entrance to the Arch itself. Metro can definitely remove the "Temporarily" part from the sign on the escalator for 8th and Pine, that's been closed for years.

[@Thom-TRA]

Thanks for always teaching me something new every time you comment. My goal next time I’m in STL is to finally go up in the arch. I think they probably choose 8th & Pine so you can walk straight to the museum and pass the courthouse. But that’s a long walk, and Laclede is a hidden gem for sure.

[@AndrewTubbiolo]

When you target St Louis with your new ICBMs be sure to put a little St Louis arch on the side. Roll it down the parade ground and keep the world of arms analysts guessing as to what it is, but you and I will know. Just between the two of us.

[@Descriptor413]

I always had a suspicion that Kim Jong-Un was a St. Louisan.

[@drakeil]

I did this same trip in 1998 over into IL during a business trip. The elevator cars in the arch are actually industrial sized clothes dryer drums with mercury switches in them to keep them upright otherwise they would roll 360 several times going up to the top. This was the setup in 1998 so it could have changed by now. Also: the Statue of Liberty on its pedestal can fit under the arch and it was designed to (hopefully) take a direct hit from a tornado as it is designed to become structurally stronger the more stress is put on it. People on the ground do look like ants from the viewing windows.

[@carytodd7211]

People in public places have no reasonable expectation of privacy as far as photography goes. Well done. And great video, too.

[@dwaynerichardson5380]

You were correct not to give up your phone to strangers. As so as you let it go, they would have ran.

[@JM-wd3dk]

Not to mention if he had unlocked his phone to delete the pictures, they could’ve ran with it and do anything. Maybe cashapp/paypal themselves money, copy banking info ect.

[@JuanWayTrips]

Yup. Plus it's not illegal in the US to take pictures of other people in public places (that's how paparazzi can get pictures of celebs all the time). Small chance they were from a country where it is illegal and people can sue you for it (like in France), but most likely they were trying to scam Thom.

[@simcaptainrik]

Thom, I rode those trains for decades. No food, drink or music is allowed on the trains and they were regularly patrolled by staff to would often check tickets to insure you were a paying passenger. I used to park at the Casino Queen on the Illinois side of the Mississippi and catch Metro Link to Cardinals & Blues games and many concerts. Fast and efficient.

[@carlfeola4574]

I have been a professional Photographer and Videographer for several decades and there is no expatiation of privacy in a public space especially on federal, state or municipal lands. That family had no right to demand to see your phone. If they would have continued, that could be consider harassment and/or assault. You did the right thing by deescalating the situation and telling then that you would respect their wishes and not include their images in your video. When I shoot in public, I am always aware of who is in my "frame of view" and if someone is staring at me and giving me the "willies" I will wait until they move on or out of frame before I take the image. Since some people have felt empowered in the last few years where they can get away with ruder/extreme behavior, you many want to consider investing into a "body cam" similar to the type that police have. So incase they don't back down, you will have a recording of the incident without having a recording phone in their face which will escalate the situation. As a profession, I really feel strongly about this and I have empathy on how you felt about your encounter with that family. Keep on doing the work that you are doing. You are producing interesting content.

[@Thom-TRA]

Thanks for your words of wisdom and encouragement! Good luck on your future photography endeavors

[@pinenkuo]

I was just in St Louis two weeks ago for the first time. The MetroLink is convenient and safe. There are many securities on board. I wish they can expand further and also increase the frequency.

[@mikekeeler6362]

They were going to expand out 2 South Saint Louis County

[@nerdlife7625]

Thanks for info I will there tomorrow and its great to know its safe

[@michellejacobcik9946]

I am a Metrolink monitor, a secret rider, who evaluates the stations. It is nice to know visitors feel safe on the train.

[@starrwulfe]

Welcome to my hometown. I hope that by folks like you checking it out (along with Atlanta's MARTA) we can get some expansions happening! I actually interned for Metrolink when they opened the system up in 1993 while I was a senior in high school, so I know a ton about the system from those who designed it. Most people in St Louis think we're better for having it and want to see it expanded more these days, but that wasn't always the case. Not only does it cross state lines, but there's a difference between the City of St Louis and St Louis County historically, but we're at a point where the needs of the usually more affluent County are in line with the City in terms of needing to do something about regional transport again, and they seem to agree more Metrolink is the key again. Now when I was a kid in elementary school, they made it seem like the STPS system along with the old Illinois Terminal Railroad (both very large streetcar and interurban lines back in my parent's time and before) were on the way back. If Metro can build the full system with lines going to North/South City, St. Charles/MO River Xing, CrossCounty II, and the Alton/Belleville Line-- then yep, will be wonderful...

[@Thom-TRA]

I’m glad the general public reception of the system is positive! You’re right, that makes a huge difference. Also, that must have been such an exciting internship, working for a transit system that just opened up!

[@zacharycleary3692]

I am so sorry about what happened at the Gateway Arch, you shouldn't have to be treated this badly because you are capturing the moment in You're life that you don't get to see everyday, these guys should've just minded their own dang business, that's all I gotta say

[@jimspies2775]

Hi, STLn for 50 years. Sir, you need to work on one of our favorite pastimes, mis-pronouncing French proper nouns. DeBaliviere is "DEH-bahl-eh-ver". Others include Gravois ("GRAV-oyz"), Carondelet ("CA-ron-deh-let"), and Chouteau ("SHOW-toe"). And, yes, it's definitely "UM-sl", not "U-M-S-L". There's others, of course, but those are some of the best. Also, love Metrolink/bus. Wish the bus frequency could be better, but it has the bones of a GREAT system. People in STL dump on Metro a LOT, but it's really pretty good. I won't say I ride every day, but probably 10-15 times a month. I like the night-time feel (and have never, ever felt "unsafe"), but yeah, if you aren't ready for it it can be off-putting a bit. The split at Forest Park is still a remnant of the severe flash flooding that happened last July that basically wiped out large sections of the Blue line between FP and Clayton. That's not how the system is designed to run, and I don't think it's "permanent" (even though it's been almost a year). Great video.

[@Thom-TRA]

Ah, that explains the weird track layout! And I’m from Europe, I’d lose my citizenship if I mispronounced French names! Lol

[@jonathankleinow2073]

Don't forget Gratoit - pronounced "GRATCH-et" in St. Louis and Detroit! And don't feel bad about getting STL terms wrong. They still call Interstate 64 "Highway 40" (pronounced "Farty") more than 15 years after the whole freeway was rebuilt to interstate standards from I-270 to Kingshighway. St. Louisans are a... special people. I say that with love as someone who was born there, went to college there, and considers it my hometown in many ways.

[@Thom-TRA]

@@jonathankleinow2073 I can get behind calling a highway farty. Same smells.

[@davidburrow5895]

I completely agree with your reactions to Metrolink. I love that St. Louis has security people who actually check the fares. Far too many "proof of payment" systems never check, and they get overrun with people who never pay a fare. That often leads to the cleanliness problems you mentioned.

[@Thom-TRA]

They were absent on my evening trip, but something is better than nothing. Personally, I am a bigger fan of faregates, combined with professional staff who can execute a merciful but just exception policy.

[@robk7266]

They are actually installing turnstiles

[@brianhenderson9124]

Case in point: in all my time living in Salt Lake City (nearly a year now), I've only ever seen one fare sweep conducted on the TRAX light rail. They did catch a potential fare dodger, though, but you'd think transit agencies would be more diligent about that. So good for St. Louis!

[@kr46428]

​@@brianhenderson9124 Hah, that's funny. Seems like every time I hop on TRAX, the UTA police are checking passes, maybe my presence alone is just the bane of fare jumpers everywhere :D Regardless, UTA is still one of my personal favorite systems. Seems like things are always clean with friendly staff. Plus, having a unified multi-modal system that covers a large multi-county area is so much better than having every municipality try to do their own poorly planned disaster.

[@VhenRaTheRaptor]

@@Thom-TRA Auckland's system in NZ is a bit of a hybrid. You have card-readers at the smaller stations with major stations using faregates. And then you run into inspectors once in awhile. If you are lucky, you could go from minor-to-minor without running into an inspector. But if you tried to get out of the major stations... you have a big problem.

[@Truman5555]

Unfortunately, you missed one of the best parts of Metro link, and it's that you can go though cornfields!!! A Farmer's Subway indeed!

[@roxxma]

The motorwoman on the first train had an excellent speaking voice and should be in radio, lol. The next time someone makes a stink about being in your photos or videos, don't engage, just walk away, and never indulge them (somehow I doubt it's about photos anyway). It's very courteous of you to avoid having other people in your videos, but that's it, a courtesy, you have no obligation to do so. If they don't want to be in others' photos and videos, then they shouldn't be out in public, as there is no expectation of privacy when out in public, especially in someplace like a very popular NPS site 🙄🙄 (Chances are every inch of the whole place is covered by security cameras, and security footage taken at government sites may well become part of the public record anyhow).

[@Thom-TRA]

Oh yeah, my interaction with them was after 10 minutes of being chased. I wasted no more than one sentence on them. And she did have a great voice! Definitely outshone her colleagues.

[@dangelohartley5977]

I think I had her on my train when I was in St Louis

[@BusaRider86]

It's a scam. As soon as you would of brought the phone out - they would of snatched the phone and ran

[@Thom-TRA]

@@BusaRider86 I’d normally think so too, and living in the city my whole life I’m pretty attuned to this. But there were several old people in this group, they were all walking slow, and were wearing very traditional cultural clothes. I think they were just weird.

[@albertcarello619]

We need more FEMALE motormen like her for sure! She's a real role model for this line!

[@spd_bird]

7:32 Forest Park used to have a normal track layout until after the 2022 flooding event that knocked out all electrical equipment at the station. Because of that, the layout was changed so each line single-tracks at the station, allowing red and blue line trains to operate past forest park without functional switches. This is supposedly just temporary and will return back to the normal layout once repairs are finished

[@johnkolassa1645]

That explains it. I've ridden through there a few times and never noticed this, and now I know why. Thanks.

[@Thom-TRA]

I appreciate the explanation! I’ve heard that part of the country gets bad flooding

[@1979RoadFan]

When I was last in St. Louis in 1998 (on Senior Trip), old Union Station was the city mall.

[@ronwagoner8358]

Thank you for doing a video on our city's awesome metro system.

[@Thom-TRA]

You’re welcome!

[@enriquetrejofficial]

My home town. Love the city, public transit isn't the best but gets the job done

[@Thom-TRA]

I actually liked it

[@toasty6738]

@@Thom-TRAit needs to be expanded on dearly

[@tact86]

Thanks for a great video. I had the pleasure of riding this line in the late 1990's and staying at Union Station for a conference for 4 days. Union station at the time also had many shops , more like a mall but also had some historical markers scattered around and parts of the old station were converted into meeting rooms. Nice operation. The system has grown since then and would be worth while to check it out again. Again thanks for the great video.

[@joemotes]

Thom, thank you very much, how educational your video are. I have been to the Arch twice but never taken the trains before.

[@pepperpillow]

Don't forget Metrolinx in Ontario! 😄

[@Thom-TRA]

Adding an x for extra coolness

[@gordontodayim]

I'm glad to hear you had a good first impression of the Metrolink. I agree with you about the Blue livery, it is much improved over the earlier white versions. I moved to St louis a few years before the Metrolink was built, and seems like it was rather controversial at the time. Lots talk that the route should go here or there etc. Most of those other routes would have been exponentially more expensive. In the end the route they choose and built was primarily the former Wabash railroad right of way, from Hanley Rd station to near Union Station. The Wabash Station still stands over the Metrolink at U-City. For my self the Metrolink is not useful or convenient, but I'm glad that we have it and that people use it. I knew it wouldn't take long for someone to "correct" you the pronunciation of DeBaliviere... As the French were some of the earliest people to settle in the Lou, there lots of French names, but they are all pronounced in the St Louis style 😁. As always a great informative and entertaining video.

[@PCBill0622]

Nice coverage-your eastbound shots caught a bit of history-a Kansas City Southern locomotive. 4-13-23 was the last day of the KCS. April 14 KCS became part of CPKC-the merged Canadian Pacific and KCS.

[@Thom-TRA]

It’s almost too bad it wasn’t attached to a CP unit! Now that would have been a great shot

[@PCBill0622]

@@Thom-TRA if you can get out to Franklin Park the signs are already going up and CPKC is deliberately mixing locomotives until repainting

[@icefahrer]

The Metrolink trains remind me of "B-Wagen" in the Rhine-Ruhr-Area of Germany. The interior and doors are very similar to the "Stadtbahnwagen" built by Düwag.

[@Thom-TRA]

I believe Siemens bought Düwag!

[@WeberIMayRoam]

Thanks for a very helpful video. I live in a rural area with no subway or anything, and will be travelling to St Louis in the fall... Had no idea what to expect, so this was great!

[@mandalorianrailfan8458]

Thanks for posting. I’m gonna be using this a lot when I go to St. Louis in July with my cousin going to Busch Stadium and other places around town!

[@Thom-TRA]

I love Busch stadium. If you get the right seats, the views are amazing!

[@JJRol.]

Thanks for another video Thom. Every video you make I learn more about trains & transport in the US! Never stop making videos :)

[@Thom-TRA]

I won’t, thank you :)

[@Hanking_Man]

Another video about my city! Cool!

[@scrappytracy5557]

I'm so glad you did this video, as I will be in STL this fall and will need to take the train from the airport.

[@Thom-TRA]

I hope you enjoy your trip to St Louis!

[@lukestrainsandotherstuff]

Great video I love you channel keep making good videos 😊

[@Thom-TRA]

Thank you, I will!

[@himbourbanist]

Good to see more on St. Louis - I feel like I never hear about this system and know very little about it

[@Thom-TRA]

It deserves more attention!

[@anthonywarrener1881]

Thank you for this fascinating video. Good to see the trains were so clean both inside and outside. I guess you were travelling at off peak times, as both the stations and all the trains you rode on were very quiet.

[@Thom-TRA]

It was very quiet! The evening was much busier. In general it seems the people of St. Louis quite like their trains.

[@JohnButlerKF5MDW]

Nice shots of the Gateway Arch through the arches at Laclede’s Landing.

[@Thom-TRA]

It’s a great station for pictures!

[@sbossinger]

Several months ago, my wife and I took Amtrak’s Missouri River Runner from St. Louis to Chicago, and we used that tunnel under the Arch. (Normally Lincoln Service and the Texas Eagle use the bridge over the river that turns you right into downtown, from the MacArthur bridge south of the Arch, and they detoured us north over Merchants Bridge.)

[@StLouis-yu9iz]

very cool!

[@Thom-TRA]

That is super cool! Could you see anything from the train?

[@sbossinger]

@@Thom-TRA No, unfortunately, because I got geeked out that we were taking a different route and I didn’t think to look out of the left-hand side of the train. My eyes were solely on the river which was on the right side of the train (but which we should’ve been traveling over already)… The route is clearly displayed on Google Maps, too, but I didn’t think to go back and look at it. Maybe next time.

[@spinlok3943]

Thankfully they're add turnstiles to the station so it won't be an open system with security guards checking your tickets. This is much needed. SO many shady people hop on the train who clearly didn't pay for a ticket.

[@CameronLandels]

Thank you for the video Thom! I really enjoyed learning about the Metrolink and St Louis. Always great to see a transit system connected to an airport! I've read that 2 of the downtown stations will undergo a rehabilitation this year (8th and Pine and Convention Centre) 🙂

[@Thom-TRA]

Airport transit is very convenient! Metrolink is very underrated. Isn’t there a system in the UK with the same name?

[@CameronLandels]

@@Thom-TRA You are right. The Metrolink service serves the city of Manchester, the airport and neighbouring towns. It's the largest light rail network in the UK. I've used it a few times.

[@stephenblomfield6]

Hello Tom , greetings from Sydney Australia ! Thank you for this excellent video - It brought back lots of fond memories of a 3 day stay I had in St Louis in 2018. Cant wait to visit the USA again next month... Best wishes to you and keep making super videos.

[@Thom-TRA]

Have a great trip! Where will you be visiting?

[@stephenblomfield6]

@@Thom-TRA Hey Tom, On this trip I am visiting San Francisco, Denver, Rapid City, Boston and then I'm catching the train to New York before heading on to London. Looking forward to exploring all available train networks at every opportunity :)

[@SebisRandomTech]

Being from Pittsburgh I’ve always been a bit intrigued by St. Louis’s system as they use some of the same rolling stock that we do (the Siemens SD-400’s), and how different each system is. St. Louis’s MetroLink is a new (ish) network with all high level stations, travels rather fast between stops, and is more like a light metro than light rail. Pittsburgh’s system is the remnants of our old streetcar/interurban network, with many remaining characteristics of both (street level stops being a big one). The low level doors that St. Louis only uses for operator boarding in yards are regularly used by passengers at many stops along Pittsburgh’s lines.

[@AndrewTubbiolo]

For a train whose consist and routing scream meat and ptotatoes, the scenery and stations are on par with a showcase system like DC Metro! The scenery out the window looked so nice, and all the stations looked clean, well kept, and in some cases even classy. Really classy. This was a real treat, great video and well put together. Loved the through review of this line.

[@Thom-TRA]

Thanks! I was very impressed with the overall quality of the system

[@brianhubert8418]

Very informative and interesting video! Nice job!

[@Thom-TRA]

Thank you so much !

[@shaunmcmanus2389]

Loved this as a St Louis native!! Thanks for visiting 😁 Check out the Museum of Transportation next time you’re here! I grew up just down the road from it, it was one of my favorite places to visit as a kid and is definitely a hidden gem of St Louis county.

[@Thom-TRA]

I enjoyed St. Louis a lot! I’ll keep that in mind next time

[@LQC2556]

Something else I found interesting about Metrolink is that it seems to use exclusively wooden ties rather than concrete ones. That's something you don't really see on modern transit systems in the US, and it makes the system look a lot older than it is.

[@Thom-TRA]

Probably from the old railroad they took over

[@LQC2556]

Even the sections that are built from scratch (like the line to the airport) have wooden ties, so I'm guessing they just prefer wooden ones despite them looking a bit dated. The MBTA also does this on their new rail projects like the Green Line extension, for some reason.

[@mtgibbs]

CTA still uses plenty of wooden ties on re-built track. Keep in mind that wood ties are easier to replace without heavy machinery if one goes bad here or there.

[@dblissmn]

@@Thom-TRA They completely rebuilt the old lines. This was by choice. CTA has also made the same choice -- see for example the south side Red Line, rebuilt by Kiewit Infrastructure in 2013 or so, with wooden ties.

[@yobiztransportation5861]

Thank you for your videos I am currently training to become a metro train light rail operator in STL. This helped a lot.

[@Thom-TRA]

Best of luck! Maybe I’ll run into you someday

[@Red_Ryan_Red]

One of my "gotta check it out" rail systems. Really hope they can expand it!

[@felixbradford]

You should ride the UTA TRAX/Frontrunner in Utah. It's Utah's only rail system, and I think it's a really cool one.

[@Thom-TRA]

I will in about three weeks!

[@michellejacobcik9946]

I live in St Louis and ride Metrolink and I think you did a great job.

[@Thom-TRA]

I appreciate that!

[@joshgoldstein1568]

@6:10 yep, people in St. Louis call it “Uhm-Suhl” not like others would pronounce like UCLA. Nice video and your content was great on the Lincoln Service Venture cars!

[@Thom-TRA]

Thanks!

[@c-historia]

wow this is a great video!!👍

[@BusaRider86]

It sounds strange, but you should write them a letter or email to compliment them on the good and suggest some improvement ideas. The compliments are usually taken to the project team where your compliment is amongst several metrics to see if something is working. We are all busy and sometimes feel such small gestures are pointless - but I can guarantee that new paint scheme had a project team or member in charge of that rollout. It would make their day plus tell the agency if something is working well or is not working well

[@Thom-TRA]

Thanks for the suggestion! You’re right, a kind word goes a long way!

[@Unclejojo330]

Great video Thom looking forward to the expansion to 130th Street. I grew up on the South side and the L from 95th to downtown seeing the line to 130th will be awesome to see.

[@Thom-TRA]

It will shorten travel times for so many people!

[@devinpaul9026]

I really like how the driver's cabin is closer to a bus than a typical subway/literail.

[@ck4426]

Really enjoyed this video a lot!!! The thoroughness, the information, the ideas, the likes and dislikes were all extremely useful. I’ve only ridden on the metro a short distance from Union Station to the Amtrak station. I hope to go back and ride more now!!! Really appreciate your effort!!!

[@StLouis-yu9iz]

Check out the Loop Trolley when you come back soon! :]

[@Thom-TRA]

I’m glad the format was helpful! Definitely visit Lacledes Landing station next time!

[@NonstopEurotrip]

What a cute little system! And Union Station was beautiful, I love that they've left the part of the trainshed up, and the old trains there. Oh and congratulations Thom for making a whole videos about trams, and not saying tram once! 😊❤

[@Thom-TRA]

The Americans here get a little sensitive when you say that word 😂

[@NonstopEurotrip]

@@Thom-TRA Sorry, streetcar 😆

[@StLouis-yu9iz]

@@NonstopEurotrip We have a tram as well, its called the Delmar Loop Trolley. You can argue the metrolink s is LRT or pre-metro, but definitely not trams.

[@LatitudeSky]

One of the STL Metrolink vehicles is currently on the Atlanta heavy rail system. So maaaaaybe you could say Metrolink is the only such system with vehicles operating in three states.

[@Thom-TRA]

I didn’t know that! What’s it doing in Atlanta?

[@Herowebcomics]

it is always awesome to see the retired trains and buildings being preserved for new generations to see! It shows how advanced we've become! *Sees the part where you talk about the family chasing you.* What the heck?! That is ridiculous! it's sad to see people thinking that others are out to get them! Also, you can film me all you want! it will be extra publicity for me!

[@blazeography3169]

Great video as usual! The inside of the Union Station Hotel is a must-see. It is really beautiful. They do have a restaurant so if you ever go back to St Louis I'd go to the hotel and have lunch or the breakfast buffet.

[@Thom-TRA]

I have a whole list of train stations hotels around the world that i want to stay in!

[@ianmckenna5252]

Another great video!

[@Thom-TRA]

Thank you! That’s very generous

[@BrightsTrainsNTrucks2023]

You’re in my part of town!!! Nice video.

[@Thom-TRA]

I had a good time! Thanks

[@SeaBassTian]

Great video! I am surprised to see how nice the trains and stations (especially Laclede's Landing) seemed, I guess I was expecting a less glam version of the CTA but seems like St Louis held its own. It didn't seem terribly crowded, I hope their ridership is decent.

[@Thom-TRA]

Ridership during daytimes is low unfortunately but it does get better around the more traditional commute times. Sadly I think STL is a very empty downtown.

[@deaventuraconkikomas4281]

Nice video, thanks for sharing. Also for letting me know that the arch it's just that, so i don't spend and loose my two last segments of my USA Amtrak Rail Pass, going from Chicago Illinois to Missouri this next May.

[@anthonywarrener1881]

Well done, and glad to see you were able to ride the new sets in service. They look very good, though as you say, it is a shame these cars are not “walk through”.

[@robk7266]

I like that they have a lot of security guards. I feel other other systems could learn from them

[@dennissvitak148]

They have massive security because they NEED massive security.

[@mjchicagoland2314]

I appreciate this channel and sorry you had to go through that situation with the lady and her family chasing you down. I try to be careful to make sure that nobody is in my video but I had that situation happened to me and my friend because we both love public transit with a passion. This guy tried to tell my friend to delete the footage and his girlfriend was telling her boyfriend to let it go, it's not worth it so I guess she understands that recording is allowed in public places and trying to calm him down. I also had a person try to chase me down over a video of public transit. Thank you Thom and be safe out there.

[@MarkBustos2]

I never thought another Light Rail system use the pedal to drive. The last time I saw a pedal drive system was the first gen fleet of Mexico City Light Rail. The Metrolink cars kinda reminds me of the Light Rail cars found in Mexico City, Guadalajara & Monterrey.

[@everettdalton8941]

Green line in Boston still uses them

[@benlong1040]

Thanks for coming down to St Louis! Really enjoyed this review. Hope you had a good time! (Sorry about the crazy people at Gateway Arch).

[@Thom-TRA]

I had a good time, thanks! Wish I could have stayed longer

[@benlong1040]

@@Thom-TRA and I was just thinking, where I am originally from (Oregon - loved your Trimet MAX videos btw), the current proposal is for an extension of the MAX yellow line across the Columbia River into Vancouver WA along the new interstate bridge. So hopefully that gets approved. It would be the second light rail across state lines!

[@Thom-TRA]

@@benlong1040 I really hope that happens! Do you think it’s likely? Planning a trip to your hometown this spring!

[@benlong1040]

@@Thom-TRA I think it is likely to happen. Unfortunately there are a lot of forces against it “MAX will bring crime to Vancouver”. 🤨. That said it absolutely needs to happen. Vancouver has become Portland’s largest suburb and there are so many people commuting both ways. Wow awesome to hear youre going back to Oregon. Enjoy!

[@Cydonius1701]

I really enjoyed this one, Thom, it was so weirdly unexpected to see the same model trams running in the US as run in Cologne and Bonn! (Their B100S) I lived in Cologne for 5 years, it was genuinely one of those double-take moments on the first shot of them. I agree on the colour scheme, much nicer than boring non-committal bare metal. It is weird that there's no automatic station announcements, I'd guess that the lack of those and the lack of legible Next Stop info are linked. You need automatic recognition of where the tram is on the route to keep both synced up AFAIK.

[@Thom-TRA]

I am so impressed by the massive stadtbahn systems in NRW, especially how many of them are connected.

[@Cydonius1701]

@@Thom-TRA So am I! But then, they have a population density that really suits itself to dense networks and have had cross-municipality public transport agencies planning and helping to fund the rebuilding of tram, bus and local train links since the 70s. And it really shows.

[@CreightonRabs]

St Louis trams are essentially the same ones used in Pittsburgh. Also, the electronic signs appear to be new; had to be within the last 3-4 years at least, since I recall the old roll signs on these cars.

[@Thom-TRA]

Yeah, they’re a slightly newer model of the Pittsburgh ones!

[@DungTran-kc9ss]

Thanks you so much for sharing these videos . I love ❤️ to have many experiences about travel by train, but I am always busy at work.. Hoping when retire , I have more times to travel, but now my health are not feeling like old days after I retired.. That’s good ideas you can explore the world 🌎 when you are growing up. Now I’m watching your channel to learn more about 🚊 train’s travel , it’s very interesting to see. I have heard, if you travel by train from California to Colorado you will see a lot of beautiful Sceneries. Hopefully, someday I will see that in your videos.. Thanks… Wishing you have a wonderful times, and healthy to work for wonderful videos… I will continue to support you in your channels..

[@Thom-TRA]

You won’t have to wait long to see the Colorado - California scenery on this channel!

[@michaelformaini7053]

Another great video from you, Thom, about a city I've read a bit about but never got to visit. Interesting about the fact that this is the only Interstate Light Rail in USA. Glad you were able to keep your cool and deflect the paranoid family harassing you about your photography. When I noted the freight train you photographed near Union Station, I wondered if the FBI or Secret Service might have bundled you up for photographing a military movement of tanks. Some of my railroad reading has involved Union Station, also the rail line adjacent to the Gateway Arch has featured in several railroad magazines I have in my collection. Keep up the good work and Cheers from Michael downunder in Melbourne, Australia.😀😀😀

[@Thom-TRA]

Maybe the family was the FBI 😱😱

[@michaelformaini7053]

@@Thom-TRA 😂🤣😂

[@levoisj]

The doors of this train almost reminds me of the blinker doors that used to be common on CTA trains. Though they don't operate the same way, just look up videos of the 2200-series you might see it. Those series of L cars lasted through the early to mid-2010s on the CTA Blue Line and they were the last of the CTA blinker door trains. And at least the STL metrolink cars are more handicap accessible.

[@londonwhaley8690]

I enjoy the video👍👍

[@robk7266]

The Metrolink is a full metro/rapid transit cosplaying as a light rail

[@Thom-TRA]

This is so accurate lol

[@robk7266]

@@Thom-TRA I would almost say that's also true did lynx in Charlotte, but it uses low floor vehicles

[@patrickrichmond9896]

When I went to Dallas, I took the Amtrak Texas Eagle. For you, if you wanted to film the route of the Texas Eagle, best time to do it is in early June because when the line pulls out of the Gateway station, you pass through the Hill area, and you also pass through Pevely, MO. Once in Dallas, getting to the DART train is easy thanks to a tunnel that connects the Amtrak's tracks which could be tracks 5 and 6, and you surface either by the Union Station building side of the DART tracks or on the platform between tracks 1 and 2. Amtrak now calls the Deluxe Bedroom the regular bedroom. But that was what I rode in when I went to Dallas. Dallas does have a vintage streetcar operation.

[@afieldsy8236]

The old ticket hall/waiting area in the old Union Station is a Arts and Crafts style masterpiece. I was stunned.

[@Thom-TRA]

It is beautiful. There are some great station buildings in America.

[@paulmoreno6279]

Heyyy awesome video! Greetings from South Florida 🌴 ☀ I just now subscribed to you 👍

[@Thom-TRA]

Thanks! And I kept thinking the weather in St. Louis was warm 😂

[@paulmoreno6279]

@@Thom-TRA lol 😂 nah! Hahaha! I live in Palm Beach and we just got through a tropical winter heatwave. It was 89 degrees every day last week! 🔥

[@Jpkjr52]

Thanks again John in Chicago

[@blackbirdgaming8147]

Nice catch on the private varnish stored at Union station. I recognize some. Several of those cars are still very active, and their owners take them on trips pretty frequently. Perhaps one day you could do a video on one!

[@Thom-TRA]

Hopefully, that would be fun!

[@schwenda3727]

Personally think that on the Metro East side in particular that they should eventually build a 3rd Metrolink line that serves the Gateway Commerce Center (and Tradeport) warehouse park. Terminating there and not a single mile further simply because suburbanites in Glen Carbon/Edwardsville & quite likely Maryville will overwhelmingly likely rally HARD against it. And given the unique employment/shift situations at various job centers (including US steel), that line’s “down time” should be moreso during the late morning & early afternoon as opposed to around midnight to sunrise for the other two lines. On paper, South County or Westport Plaza (if not the Ampitheater (including a casino/hotel a short walk away) would be better termini than any, but I reckon local opposition from many South/West County residents being strong, therefore I think North County would be a prime Expansion market until VERY recent & upcoming security measures are proven long enough to even THINK of selling to the rest of the suburbs. Therefore a short line that goes between the airport and the SLCC campus that the proposed/planned north/south Metrolink might eventually end exclusively so the Metro East, St. Louis, and Clayton aren’t the only corners of town with a one seat ride back & forth from the airport. And the existing Metrolink between the airport terminals gets truncated/converted into a more dedicated APM system.

[@StLouis-yu9iz]

Great video, thanks for sharing some Lou content! :] It seems like you enjoyed your visit despite the chilly wind (although you should be used to that :P), I hope you did, and I cannot wait to welcome you back to StL sometime! (You should do a video highlighting the potential of the Delamr Loop Trolley here) Also there is a new North/South line starting construction soon! :D

[@StLouis-yu9iz]

Also I had never thought about it, but we certainly do say UM-SOL and don't spell it out like most colleges. ;P

[@Thom-TRA]

I was going to do the Delmar Loop but it wasn’t running yet! And I enjoyed the weather, it was much warmer than Chicago that week!

[@StevesWanderlust]

My experiences with STL find it close to the feeling of my my main long term layover point of MSP. There's some of everything, not enough but a lot of ways to have casual good times and get a feeling for how a place has felt to live and work within. The transit systems are just about getting between work and home but bits of the older, expansive network of connections are still there if you look. The Eads Bridge is cool anyday, though!

[@Thom-TRA]

Yeah I don’t think I could live there but it’s definitely fun to visit, if only for the fact that it’s warmer than Chicago in the winter.

[@patrickrichmond9896]

As you see, that at 5th and Missouri, we see Gillig Advantages. Some who still works for Metro might remember me as the guy would would have to file the complaints and arrange them in a certain order. When I had my first ride on a Gillig Phantom, I was pleased with the job Gillig has done and I told my volunteer supervisor that we need to buy some more. And from that point on, for the buses, Gillig became their soul provider for the buses. And in 1999, I went to Dallas and took part in what is called a Transit Oriented Development tour. That is where you haul off and go to town cleaning up the city big time. On the tour, I heard from the narrator on the bus saying that it was a bad portion of Dallas and the city got involved and the area that I toured looked much cleaner than from what I have heard on what it used to look like. Now, more and more places down there are being riddled with stuff such as condos, restaurants, churches, factories, etc. And now, Metro wants to do even more of that in St. Louis! Seen at 15:02, is Call-a-Ride. It's a great source for those with disabilities. The vehicle is really a Freightliner M2 medium duty truck with a bus body on it. It is powered by a Cummins engine.

[@MustachioFurioso9134]

A north-south line honestly is all STL needs now. Having lived there for 4 month, this line would do wonders for connecting even smaller neighborhood just south of downtown (like Soulard) to downtown proper. (STL is looking to update their line ans build out a north/south line, though it will takes years for that to come to fruition) It honestly is a nice little system.

[@markmanz8897]

Metra in Chicago also crosses state lines. They are in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.

[@Thom-TRA]

2 things: 1. Metra does not go to Indiana. 2. For the millionth time I have to tell people, I’m talking about RAPID TRANSIT, not commuter rail. I could not have made this any clearer in my video, yet once a week I still get a comment like this.

[@JDLEd]

I went through dozens of comments to see if it had been mentioned, but if you get the chance in the future, you should take the the Blue line towards Shrewsbury for a bit. A lot of this line is underground with lots a commuter connections, another large business/govt district and inner suburbs.

[@michaelteale3335]

Good job kiddo! I agree about the hearing impaired idea. Hopefully, MetroLink saw your video. And yeah, it does get sketchy at night. There were nights that I didn't have much of a choice as I was going to school in downtown St. Louis. I had to leave STL because the crime rate was getting so bad that it just became unbearable.

[@dangelohartley5977]

When I have a chance, I'm definitely returning to St Louis to ride the MetroLink again

[@Thom-TRA]

Have you been on the whole network yet?

[@dangelohartley5977]

@@Thom-TRA I only covered the entire routing of the Red Line. The Blue Line is next on my list to cover

[@gels1922]

The hotel at Union Station dose allow people in. At least when I was there last October 25th. Couple of nice bars to get great cocktails :)

[@Thom-TRA]

Sadly all the doors were locked

[@dennissvitak148]

8th and Pine is the stop right BEFORE Busch Stadium. Smart fans, heading west, will take the short walk to this station, and have a nice, comfortable seat...when you get to Busch...there are 5 thousand people waiting.

[@robertschaefer3223]

Next year, the Eads Bridge will be 150 years old. That little door by the driver with the stairs is used when they change drivers at the maintenance facilities. There was a gun discharged the other night on a crowded Metro-Link train after a baseball Cardinals name. Luckily, nobody was hit.

[@Thom-TRA]

Happy early birthday to the bridge!

[@brucehain]

It's great the light rail goes right under Union Station. That's the only good thing that's happened to Union Station in the past 70 years. When I was six I will never forget backing in from NY, and seeing all the colorful ellptical-end observations cars from different railroads backed into the station while we waited there. We took PRR in and MoPac out going west. Amtrak prefers "AMShack" regardless of any inconvenience to the public, or the practical inefficiencies of track configurations that their preferred locations often entail. See: Grand Central, Schenectady, Utica, Rochester, Syracuse, Buffalo Central, Michigan Central, St. Louis (probably tied with Washington as our second-greatest station still surviving, BUT IT'S BLOCKED) Cincinnati, Columbus, Springfield OH, Dayton, Kansas City, Joplin, Louisville, Nashville, Birmingham, Montgomery, TWO in Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Madison by Frank Lloyd Wright (never used) South Bend, Phoenix, and 3rd &Townsend in San Francisco to name a few.

[@Thom-TRA]

The Amshacks are such a letdown

[@Robbie06261995]

The security screens are fairly new additions as well as the led rolling signs. The signs used to be very traditional physical style where they had to actually scroll it on over to the appropriate selection. And yes it is pronounced UMSL as if it were a regular word. While there isn’t anything stating how long it is until the next train, every station (at least I know for certain 8th & Pine does) has a time table posted somewhere which can be referenced.

[@jamesbaxter1667]

That northbound track for the red line.Southbound track for the blue line was a thing.They had to institute after the flood in that area

[@DC4260Productions]

The way they've repurposed St. Louis Union Station reminds me of Bath Green Park in England. That was the terminus of the Somerset & Dorset Railway, a line that closed in 1966, but the station has been retained and repurposed as a car park (of all things).

[@Thom-TRA]

A true British tragedy to the degree of Shakespeare’s most famous pieces…

[@lawaynesplace]

Hey Thom, look like you had a fun trip. I am looking forward to buying a USA Rail Pass in Nov. for my 60th birhtday and see how many Train routes I can take in the ten stop/30 day time limit.

[@Thom-TRA]

Any ideas yet what you’re gonna do? I’m doing my rail pass trip next month!

[@lawaynesplace]

@@Thom-TRA Start in Richmond, Ca Up to Seattle (spend the night), off to NYC (4 1/2 layover in Chicago so can see that), Spend night in NYC then down to D.C. for a couple of hours then shoot down to New Orleans (spend the night) then to Los Angeles (back thru Chicago) but by way of Dallas/ San Antonio (spend a few days) then home to San Francisco. Lucky some of the connects have layovers so can see the city.

[@ztl2505]

Appreciate hearing about the fare checks. One of the biggest problems in Minneapolis is I’ve pretty much never had my ticket checked outside of game days. Results in a lot of people treating the train like a dumpster.

[@Thom-TRA]

Yeah the metro in Minneapolis is… not my fav.

[@briansieve]

The Arch has always been in a national park. Before 2018 it was called the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial.

[@Thom-TRA]

A National park and a national memorial are different classifications and there was quite a bit of controversy when the change was proposed.

[@boomstickbag]

Where did you used to live before moving to the US? Also, I’m glad there’s a KZbinr who lives in Chicago and seeing you ride the CTA and Metra makes me happy, I’ve never been on the Metra.

[@KevinMCombes]

My old system! Used to commute on Metrolink until I moved to DC. I think the single track between STL Terminals 1 and 2 is pretty clever. It's a short distance, so even if movements are uncoordinated, the delay will be very short. Metrolink has great OTP so that's pretty rare anyway. The single track does effectively the same thing as having a crossover at the terminal. (And when you are crossing tracks, you are blocking both tracks, so having a second track doesn't do you all that much good anyway.) Saves some money on elevated structure. And in the event the one track does go down, there is an airport shuttle to get to Terminal 2. Are you sure there are other single track sections? I wasn't aware of any. I guess you can consider Forest Park-Debaliviere as two parallel single tracks (operationally), but it is physically double track. I believe they operate that way because the junction between the two lines is a flat junction. Separating the two lines by track avoids the conflict where the tracks cross at the junction. (In introduces a conflict between trains in opposite directions, but again MetroLink has great OTP and movements tend to be very well coordinated.) This could also allow for cross-platform timed transfers although I'm not sure if they schedule any of those.

[@KevinMCombes]

Actually, was this video filmed on a day when the Blue Line was only operating between Shrewsbury and Forest Park? Back when I lived in St Louis the trains did not operate that way at Forest Park, the two sides of the platform were separated by direction and served by both lines. Confirmed that with some old video. I can't tell if that service pattern is something new, or just temporary. I would understand why they did it if they were turning Blue Line trains back at Forest Park, which I know has been pretty common in recent months.

[@Thom-TRA]

They were turning trains at FP that day, but the signs were more permanent. It seems that flood damage has contributed to the current solution. You’re right, the airport single track does make sure trains can always end up on the right track. Probably saves money too by using up less airport land. I never realized the OTP was so good. Can’t say the same here in Chicago…