Two new massive, state-of-the-art snowplows that each cost more than $500,000 will be a major upgrade in clearing highways in Fremont County and Casper, according to state transportation officials.
However, Converse County got a much better deal.
It’s the proud owner of a new road grader with a special Caterpillar 100th anniversary blade, one of only five in the world.
The county had already bought two new graders, but the Wyoming Machinery Company, of whom Converse County is a loyal customer, offered to provide the upgraded blade at no additional cost.
Heavy equipment like the snowplows and road graders aren’t cheap, but state and county officials say they make up for their big price tags by being super-efficient.
The two state snowplow trucks are stationed in Fremont County and Casper.
They are capable of hauling 2.5 times the amount of sand that current snowplow trucks haul, said Cody Beers, senior public relations specialist for the Wyoming Department of Transportation in Riverton.
"One truck will do the work of two, with one less driver,” Beers told Cowboy State Daily.
He added that the trucks are also easier to turn around than the current snowplow trucks.
The snowplow trucks are notable for their sheer size.
The larger plows will cover more square feet of road in one pass, said Converse County Commission Chairman Jim Willox, thereby reducing the time needed to clear the road.
Snow Plow Trucks Land in Fremont County and Casper
The plow stationed in Fremont County will be used on the five lanes and passing lanes between Lander and Riverton, and between Lander and South Pass.
“Because of the superior traction from the extra drive axle and the ability to dump sand in front of the drive wheels, it makes it ideal for mountain passes such as Beaver Rim (U.S. 287), South Pass (Wyoming Highway 28) and Togwotee Pass (U.S. 26/287), and for opening roads that are closed due to drifted snow,” Beers said.
WYDOT also has three trucks that plow two lanes at once, Beers said.
Those plows are used on the five lanes between Riverton and Shoshoni and Shoshoni to Waltman passing lanes. Another plow stationed in Cody plows the five lanes between Cody and Powell.
The truck stationed in Casper will be used on Highway 59, which connects Douglas and Gillette, Willox said.
A social media post announcing the stationing of the two new plow trucks invited people to find a place to park and check out the new equipment.
“It is worth a look,” the post states.
Beers said the trucks are worth seeing because of their size but also because of their lighting packages with amber and green lights.
The technology is also astonishing, he said.
A snow control touch screen electronics system monitors the road speed and ambient and road temperatures, and controls how much sand and geo-brine is being spread.
Converse County’s 100th Anniversary Blade
Converse County Commission Vice Chairman Rick Grant said he credits the gift of the Caterpillar blade to Wyoming Machinery territory sales representative Dan Holman.
The county has worked with Holman over the years to buy heavy equipment.
Although the grader’s blade is what makes it particularly special — the third of only five such blades in the world — the public will recognize the grader by its uncommon color.
Grant said most graders are the recognizable Caterpillar Yellow. But because this grader honors Caterpillar’s 100th anniversary, it is the color of the original Caterpillar equipment — battleship gray.
Only after Caterpillar was in business for a few years did the company realize it wanted its equipment to be more visible on the roads and in construction zones.
Caterpillar officially adopted Hi-Way Yellow as its standard equipment color in 1931, according to its website. That color was updated to the current trademarked Caterpillar Yellow in 1979.
The grader also comes with a high-performance circle, which Holman said effectively cuts down on maintenance time and therefore maintenance costs.
A prototype snow wing gives the grader the option to widen its snowplowing path from 14 feet to 26 feet. The wing folds up over the top of the machine when not in use.
Holman told Cowboy State Daily he has sat on a corporate Caterpillar development board for the past 15 years.
As Caterpillar was preparing to celebrate its 100th birthday, executives shared with board members that the company planned to make five limited edition blades.
“They asked me if there was a partner I worked with that would effectively feel the love (by receiving a blade),” Holman said. “Who would appreciate it, and who would be deserving?”
Holman didn’t hesitate. He went straight to one of his most loyal customers, Converse County.
Holman told Cowboy State Daily it was fulfilling to see Converse County get one of Caterpillar’s five 100th anniversary blades, “knowing how long some of these technologies have been in development. They were very appreciative that we thought of them first.”
The grader is used year-round. It clears snow during the winter months and smooths gravel during the warmer months.
“It came pretty well outfitted,” Grant said.
Steep Costs For State-Of-The-Art Technology
Costs of this high-end equipment is nothing to shrug at.
Fully rigged, Beers said, each new snowplow truck costs about $570,000 — about twice as much as a new fully rigged 8-yard plow truck similar to those the state has been operating.
The trucks were bought by WYDOT with revenue from the state fuel tax.
Converse County already had a couple of graders on order when commissioners learned about the opportunity to acquire one of Caterpillar’s special edition anniversary blades.
Willox said Converse County has bought or upgraded several blades over the past 10-15 years largely due to the uptick in mineral activity. The county has nine blades overall, eight working with one as a spare.
Kate Meadows can be reached at kate@cowboystatedaily.com.
