Versatile Compact Machine Boosts Productivity in Maintaining Park and Trails

Steve Finegan likes the versatility of the Toolcat 5600.

One good way to hold down equipment costs is to get more work out of one machine. That’s why the Blackhawk County Conservation Board, Cedar Falls, Iowa, owns a Toolcat™ 5600 utility work machine.

“Versatility is very important in our operations,” explains Steve Finegan, the board’s director. “This machine does a lot of things for us. It’s more versatile than a tractor and a lot easier to maneuver and transport than large loaders.”

The 44-hp utility machine, which includes many of the features of a loader, pickup truck and attachment carrier in one unit, can be used for a variety of jobs in the parks and 26 miles of trails that the board operates.

This versatility includes using a bucket and pallet forks to clear debris from trails, moving and loading dirt at construction sites, handling pallets of construction materials and supplies. The hydraulic lift cargo box, with a 2,000-lb. capacity, is used to haul tools, rock and sand. The machine, with its two-seat cab, front and rear suspension and an 18 mph transport speed, also makes traveling around the parks and trails comfortable and convenient.

Hydrostatic four-wheel drive and all-wheel steer provide the traction and maneuverability to work in areas where larger units can’t. The machine’s compact size also makes it easy to transport on a truck to a more distant jobsite. “We never know what we’ll run into on a job where the machine can help,” Finegan says. “It does a lot of work for us.”