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#1 KevinKorell

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Posted 14 May 2005 - 11:51 PM

The only other item we need to take care of in advance is reserving a time for the Gateway Arch in St. Louis.


Potentially bad news here. Not too long ago all possible times on 7/16/05 were showing as available, even for a group of ten. Now no matter what time I put in for 7/16/05 I get a message that there is no availability found. This was hard to believe, but I then tried other dates around then and got the same result. I even tried days later in the summer, and then later in the year (like October, a slow travel month) and still got the same "no availability" message.

So either prepare for the possibility that we can't visit the Arch, or hopefully their site is just having an operational glitch. I will keep on trying. There is also a toll free number that I intend to call in the next couple of days to check with a live person about availability.

Again I would like to grab those tickets and reserve a time for the group visit as soon as possible, so please let me know your preferences for a time, and also state whether you can, can't, will, won't, should, shouldn't, etc. go up into the Arch. So I need a good body count to work with. Right now the number appears to be 10.


Kevin Korell


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Lakewood, NJ


#2 KevinKorell

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Posted 18 May 2005 - 08:49 PM

GOOD NEWS: RESERVATION HAS BEEN MADE FOR OUR GROUP!

The fees charged are for the "tram" ride up one of the two sides of the Arch. The fee for adults is $10, including a $3 National Park Service (NPS) fee. For youths ages 13-16, the NPS fee is waived and they pay just $7. Those 12 and under pay just $3.

Tickets have now been ordered for a 6:00 PM visit to the Gateway Arch. I have booked this time for a group of 10 people. If anybody backs out, there are no refunds. However, if the group gets larger, people can be added to our group at the appointed time (subject to availability) by paying another $10 per person. This advance booking allows us to bypass the ticket windows.

I have been told that for the 6:00 visit, we should arrive at the Arch between 5:20 and 5:30, in order to pass through a security checkpoint.

This should allow us about an hour to visit the Arch, including the tram ride up and down. From 7:00 PM until our 9:05 PM TEXAS EAGLE departure on the TEXAS EAGLE, we should have enough time to have dinner and hopefully complete any light rail riding that we might not have done.

Each participant is asked to send me a check for $10 to cover my expenses. My address will be e-mailed to you if you are on the list of participants. If you want to attend, but are not currently on the list, please let me know so that you can be added to our appointed visit at 6:00 PM.

Tickets will not be sent to me or any one of you. They will be held at a podium at the base of the Arch for pickup in person.


Kevin Korell


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Lakewood, NJ


#3 jis

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Posted 22 May 2005 - 03:45 PM

Kevin, I am assuming that the checked baggage facility accepts baggage for storage or there are baggage lockers at the St. Louis Amtrak station. Otherwise it will be quite a hassle. Anyone know for sure what the situation is?

#4 KevinKorell

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Posted 22 May 2005 - 06:49 PM

This was brought up to me by somebody else as well. That person is going to call the Amtrak station and find out for sure whether they will hold our luggage for the 6 or 7 hours we will be in town. I don't like to check luggage for a trip, since we will need toiletries and a change of clothes while aboard the train. But if they will hold it for us (and I believe they will, for a nominal fee) that would be a big help to all of us. :)


Kevin Korell


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