For Immediate Release

For more information contact:
Steve Kratzer
Marketing and Business Development Representative
steve.kratzer@optimabus.com
316-779-7700 ext. 344

New American Heritage Streetcar from Optima Bus Corporation Arrives in Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Wichita, KS – September 15, 2003 – The city of Eureka Springs, Arkansas recently purchased and received another new American Heritage Streetcar from Optima Bus Corporation that is part of a 5 year plan to restore and expand the existing fleet. The new vehicle will replace an older model Alamo City Streetcar that has serviced Eureka Springs for the past 14 years. With the addition of the new trolley, Eureka Springs will operate five American Heritage Streetcars and three Alamo City Streetcars for a total of eight vehicles working the area.

“Our city caters to many tourists on a daily basis and due to the limited street space and parking that is available, the Trolleys have been a perfect solution for the area”, said Eureka Springs Director Lamont Richie, “the old-time charm of the trolleys coupled with an ability to effectively move riders around town has proven to be very effective.”

Future plans for Eureka Springs include building an addition onto and updating the current facilities that house the trolley’s, replacing the older vehicles with new models, and increasing the fleet’s size to a total of twelve.

“The success of the program has prompted and allowed us to expand our current fleet”, said Richie, “our current facility has an eight trolley limit, but with the planned addition we will be able comfortably house the additional vehicles that we plan to purchase in the future.”

Manufactured at Optima Bus Corporation’s state of the art facility in Wichita, KS the 12-year Altoona Tested American Heritage Streetcar is made of a heavy-duty chassis and a fuel-efficient, low-emission Cummins ISBO2 engine.