BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS
One-of-a-kind Toolcat utility work machines provide effi cient, year-round performance for Fargo parks department
The Fargo (N.D.) Park District depends on a trio of Toolcat™ utility work machines to take on the worst of winter. For a city located about 150 miles south of the Canadian border, that means plenty of snow, wind and cold.
Once winter ends, there is no rest for the Toolcat 5600s. To the contrary, these one-of-a-kind machines are on the job every day throughout the spring, summer and fall.
“They are much more than snow machines,” says Terry Gange, operations foreman. “The versatility and effi ciency of the 5600s make them ideal for a parks department. That’s why we count on them 365 days a year.”
While the city has a variety of equipment, including fi ve Bobcat®
compact track loaders (two T650s and three T250s) and a skid-steer loader, there are many jobs that perfectly fi t the versatility of the three Toolcat units.
“Nothing works better for sweeping trails,” Gange says. “The 5600 and the angle broom attachment does a super job on our 90 miles of trails and paths. When we previously swept the trails with tractors, the dust was terrible. Now, working from the enclosed air-conditioned cabs, the operators are really happy. Operator comfort is important because we sweep weekly.”
A Toolcat 5600 utility work machine is an invaluable machine
for spreading new dirt on the Fargo, N.D., baseball fi elds.
The hydraulically driven angle broom can be adjusted by using fi ngertip controls in the cab of the Toolcat 5600.
In winter the trails are cleaned with either a snowblower attachment or a snow V-blade. Like the angle broom, the snow V-blade is hydraulically operated. It can be used in fi ve different blade confi gurations.
The park maintenance staff, with 19 employees, has two of the 5600s; the other utility work machine is operated by the forestry department. Often the units are used at the fi ve municipal golf courses.
Early adopter
Shortly after Bobcat introduced the Toolcat machine in 2002, the Fargo parks department purchased a 5600 model.
“While it does not have the lift capacity of our loaders, we identifi ed features and uses that would make the utility work machine a very good complement to our other equipment,” Gange says. “Our experience the past eight years has certainly verifi ed that initial evaluation of the Toolcat unit.”
The department has a number of attachments that are interchangeable between the loaders and the 5600s.
“That’s a huge plus,” he says. “We have eight power units that share attachments such as a trencher,
10
WorkSaver | FALL 2011
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32