Neoplan USA
Neoplan USA was a major transit bus manufacturing company based in Denver, Colorado. Originally an American subsidiary of the German company Neoplan, it eventually became separate and instead licensed its designs. Neoplan manufactured standard floor buses, low floor buses, double decker buses, articulated buses, and motorcoaches.
Neoplan founded their American subsidiary in 1981, and it was based in Lamar, Colorado. Their 139,000 square-foot facility was officially opened in May of that year with a celebration that included a parade of buses. To lure Neoplan to the area, the city went as far as donating the land and roads for the manufacturing site.[1] The American subsidiary was spun-off from Neoplan in 1989.[2] A plant in Honeybrook, PA was also built, but very few buses were manufactured there. It mainly served as a service facility.[3]
Amid a lack of orders and ongoing financial difficulties, Neoplan USA announced in November 2005 that they would close their Lamar facility. The company's final order was 25 articulated buses built for the Port Authority of Allegheny County of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Following the completion of the order, the company ceased operations in January 2006.
Neoplan USA filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August 2006, listing assets of $13.7 million and debts of $59 million. The company stated that its bankruptcy filing was prompted by a heavy debt load as well as cash-flow problems after the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority canceled an order in 2005.[2]
Models
Litl' Bus models
- AN408 (26 foot)
Metroliner models (Suburban Transit Coach buses)
Transliner models (Transit buses)
- AN430 (30 foot high floor)
- AN435 (35 foot high floor)
- AN435LF (35 foot low floor)
- AN440 (40 foot high floor)
- AN440LF (40 foot low floor)
- AN440TLF (40 foot true low floor)
- AN445TLF (45 foot true low floor)
- AN459 (59 foot high floor, made only for NJ Transit)
- AN460 (60 foot high floor)
- AN460LF (60 foot low floor)
Neoplan USA-licensed Neoplan luxury coaches
Later models were powered by Detroit Diesel Series 60 engines
- Starliner AN516/3 (45 foot)
- Cityliner AN116/3 (40 or 45 foot)
- Skyliner AN122/3 (40 foot double decker tour/coach bus)
- Spaceliner AN117/3 (40 or 45 foot double decker motor home bus)
- Jetliner AN228/2 (28 foot Jetliner)
- Jetliner AN235/2 (35 foot Jetliner)
- Jetliner AN240/3 (40 foot Jetliner)
See also
- Neoplan, original parent company
References
- ↑ Smidth, William E. Ccolorado Town Looks to Better Days, with a German Bus Factory. 25 May 1981. New York Times. Web.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Fitzgerald, Patrick. Bankruptcy judge approves bus maker Neoplan USA's Chapter 11 plan. 28 December 2006. Associated Press.
- ↑ talk.nycsubway.org
- ↑ www.coachinfo.com