Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/426956
O f all the new designs Caterpillar unveiled to the press recently in Clayton, North Caro- lina, nothing got more second looks than the steel track undercarriage option mounted to a 299D XHP compact track loader. With its elevated rear drive sprock- et you might almost think Cat had come out with a mini-dozer. But no, this is your basic, high-horsepower bucket- and attachment-wielding compact track loader. It just rides on an all-steel track and undercarriage. So who needs a 110-horsepower compact track loader with a steel track? As it turns out, when armed with Cat's new HM415B mulcher, this machine is perfect for land manage- ment and pioneering work in deeply forested areas that would otherwise shred rubber tires and tracks. Land management applications "The land management segment is growing in popularity, so that's why we're focusing on it," says Kevin Coleman, senior marketing engi- neer. "It was always there, but most people just dabbled in it." Perhaps even more intriguing for young people in construction is that you can take this machine, add just three attachments and launch a one- person owner-operator business. The machine and attachments can all fit on one trailer. Get a dually to pull it and you're ready to start mak- ing money. According Coleman, the op- portunities abound, including tree removal, brush clearing, powerline and right of way maintenance, tree plantations, hunting clubs, hobby farms, wildfire management, park work, environmental work and a host of landscaping and land im- provement jobs. How it works The steel track undercarriage provides sure footing in soft and uneven ground conditions, and the tracks are impervious to damage from roots and rocks. To protect against the falling debris and the usual forestry hazards there's a factory-installed guarding pack- age. A sealed and pressurized cab (found on all D series skid steers) keeps the operator comfortable for all-day operation. The company's new HM415B mulcher has a two-speed motor that brings the mulching head back up to speed quickly after a heavy cut using the high-speed/low torque setting, says Dustin Adams, prod- EquipmentWorld.com | December 2014 43 product report | by Tom Jackson | TJackson@randallreilly.com Check out Cat's new steel track CTL and land management package Looking for a one-truck, one-machine business? The new mulching attachment is designed to work safer and more efficiently.