We started watching Saturday Night Live last night, and during the monologue Channel Five broke in with Breaking News: 200 people were trapped in the Gateway Arch.
The people at the top of the Arch, peeking out the observation windows, were having a blast. They got to stay up the long enough to see the fireworks after the Live at the Levee concert. Now, that would be a great place to watch the fireworks.
On the other hand, the hearts of Saint Louis break for the individuals trapped in the tram cars going up to or coming down from the top. The tram car experience puts the amusement-park ride element into the arch experience.
Here is the door to your ball-shaped tram:
Here is your womb tram:
Here are your and four of your friends jammed into your tram with your knees touching:
So this 2001 Space Odyssey tram has to go up vertically, okay, no problem. Then as it hits the top of the arch it has to tip at a 30 degree angle, right itself, tip, right, until it scooches its way up to the observation windows.
So some poor church camp kids from Ohio were probably in mid-tilt and then BAM the lights go out and the power winds down. Oh, and the AC goes off. Oh, and my guess is no one told them what was going on.
I’m not claustrophobic at all, and I’m not excitable (at least, not compared to my sister-in-law Karen) but I cannot believe everyone getting off those trams are just “relieved and happy.” I would say “pissed and violent” is more likely. Or perhaps they just now have a more personal relationship with Jesus.
9 responses to “Breaking News: Arch Eats Tourists”
Looks like I should have planned the Arch Trip for this weekend instead of next. Darn. Now I’ll just have to pretend to get stuck in the womb-tram to make it exciting.
“Trams” is too kind. They’re EGGS!!! Two plus hours? Fifteen minutes would have me screaming. I hope someone somehow could tell people what was going on.
STLToday reported that emergency lights and AC came on when the trams stopped.I took my daughter up there about a month ago. I had an irrational fear of having to guide a terrified 3yo down the maze of steps in an emergency. I guess that fear wasn’t so irrational after all.
Oh, shit! That would have been difficult for me.The AC would have been the big thing for me. When I get uncomfortable physically, I get uncomfortable emotionally.
Breaking News: Arch Eats Tourists Hot Mom – Well, evidently the next day they said it was fixed, then it broke again. So who knows, you might get stuck. Bring apple juice.~~Silk – Yeah, I haven’t heard any reports about how communications were done. Caroline – Well, no one was initially allowed to use the maze of steps because at one point the spiral staircase doesn’t have a railing. And someone might fall. And then complain.ajooja – Well, evidently backup generators came on immediately. It still sounds awful, though.
I saw this news story the other day and nearly had a panic attack in sympathy for those poor, poor people. The time I rode up and down in those cars was one of the worst experiences of my life. Dear God.
*cue Also Sprach Zarathustra* Open the pod bay doors, HAL.
Oh, YIKES! I’ve been in those pods and they are NOT very roomy at all… I think that pissed and unhappy would be an understatement.
Carrie – Oh, and then it happened again the NEXT DAY.Friend #3 – I’m sorry,Dave, I can’t do that.sue – It’s so odd, I haven’t heard a single interview with someone complaining. Crazy Ohio church kids!