Evaluation of Tram Systems at Gateway Arch

The speeds and orientation of the eight passenger pods on each tram, which travel along curved rails and rotate more than 180° at ten (10) different speeds to and from the top of the 720 foot high St. Louis Arch, have performed as designed in the 1960s and continues to do so today with new custom designed Tram Machine with new AC Motors.

Replacement of the original motors, generators, and controls systems for the wire ropes that raise and lower the north side and south side tram cars that carry tourists from the Lower Tram Station to the Observation Deck Tram Station on both sides of the St. Louis Arch.

The original motors, generators and controls were located below the Observation Deck, which is 720 feet above grade and provides panoramic views of the Saint Louis area. Coinciding with a major six (6) month modernization project which included building a new museum and numerous site improvements during which the Arch was shut down to tourist, In the fall of 2015, the original motors, generator, and controls system for the North Side Trams were dismantled and cut into small pieces that were transported to the Lower Tram Station. At this point, perfection was the only option.

Three months later, having installed a new wire rope gearbox and AC motor next to the Observation Deck where they replaced the original wire rope DC motor, and a new Variable Frequency Drives and Safety Rated PLC Control System within a new room closer to ground level within the Arch leg, the South Side Tram was commissioned. The Tram operated exactly like it had previously operated for 60 years. It could now be used to transport equipment and workers to the Observation Deck Trams Station as the South Side Trams have been used for the last 3 months.

In January 2016, the North Side Trams were dismantled and cut into small pieces that were transported to the Lower Tram Station. Three months later, having installed a new wire rope gearbox and AC motor next to the Observation Deck where they replaced the original wire rope DC motor, and a new Variable Frequency Drives and Safety Rated PLC Control System within a new room closer to ground level within the Arch leg, the North Side Tram was commissioned. The Tram operated exactly like it had previously operated for 60 Years.

The St. Louis Arch was open to tourist on schedule and without any fanfare in March 2016 thanks to the Multi-discipline Engineering and Design provided by Maida Engineering, Inc. which included an Evaluation of the Trams and their Motors, Generators and Controls Systems and the Engineering, Design, System Integration and commissioning of a Tram Monitoring Systems during the years before developing the Conceptual Design for the Replacement of the Motors, Generators, and Controls that led to their being sole sourced for the project that has and will continue to take tourist to the Observation Deck for many years in the future.