Markets for the Bell Tracked Carrier have expanded following the machine’s launch in Western Europe in 2022, with interest shown from Africa, Southeast Asia and Australia. This has brought the versatility of the Tracked Carrier to the fore as new applications are discovered.
Bell Equipment’s Product Manager, Brad Castle, said National Equipment Dealers (NED), Bell Equipment’s leading dealer in North America, most recently placed a Finn T170 Hydroseeder® on the back of a TC11A. This unit is suited to medium to large hydroseeding projects on large residential, commercial and industrial properties, along highways, or for mine reclamation.
“The uses of the base unit are many and varied,” he says. “One of the reasons we were first asked to design the Tracked Carrier was for pipeline projects where sites are in remote areas that are difficult to access. In the initial stage of a project Bell. Tracked Carriers are the only machines that can access these areas and minimize environmental damage,” he says. “With a flatbed configuration, they also are an ideal solution for delivering wooden mats to remote areas so that other machines can gain access or carrying attachments like personnel carriers and welding machines.”
The Tracked Carrier has been used successfully in the electrical utility and power transmission industry where specialised attachments such as aerial platforms and digger derricks have been fitted to the chassis to provide the perfect tool to maintain power lines in difficult terrain.
Tracked Carriers are a versatile addition to any general construction fleet as they can perform clean-up and earthmoving tasks, especially at the start of a project before infrastructure has been established and site conditions are usually adverse or after excessive rainfall.
They are likewise useful for residential and commercial developments such as apartment blocks and golf courses due to their ability to access challenging sites, especially where the ground profile is undulated and covered by vegetation. “Ground conditions are often extremely soft once land clearing is done, and this is where the Bell Tracked Carrier comes into its own, particularly when there is rainfall,” adds Brad.
Due to their tight turning circle and ability to make progress in wet, muddy conditions, Tracked Carriers are well suited to dike construction. Furthermore, with multiple combinations available, the Bell Tracked Carrier can be tailored to meet most needs for tough municipal jobs and military installations.
“Landfill and ash pond management are other possible applications,” continues Brad. “Track Carriers, with their low ground pressure, reduce the overall stress on landfill and ash pond infrastructure like plastic liners. They also excel at landfill sites when the ground is too steep or too muddy for rubber-tired vehicles, and ash ponds where the slurry material creates unfavorable underfoot conditions for other vehicles. In addition, opportunities exist for attachments such as hydroseeders.”
Tracked Carriers offer exceptional versatility in sand mining applications, where they enable ongoing production during excessive rainfall and when high water tables minimize drainage and can also be used for tailing pond management when required or carrying attachments like personnel carriers and drills, etc.
“They are also usually the only option for wetlands and flood control work due to the extremely low ground pressure they exert. In the case of wetlands, which are environmentally sensitive, this helps to minimize the disruption underfoot.
Concludes Brad: “The beauty of the Bell Tracked Carrier, is that your options are endless, their performance is assured and they have also been proven to offer a great return with rentals.”
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