I often read posts that regardless of the subject, people find some way to put in a plug for either a Caterpillar or John Deere based on their preference. They all seem credible, but here is my observation that seems to indicate to me that when it comes to Dozers, Cat has the advantage. First, here is the basis for my observation. I have worked around the earth moving profession since 1974 when I went to work in the coal mining fields of eastern Kentucky. As a reclamation supervisor and quality control engineer for Tesoro Coal Company in Hazard, KY, the Cat was the preferred machine. They tried Terex which eventually everyone began to call Timex because they did not hold up. I later became a Reclamation Specialist and was on coal mines in KY, VA, West VA, TN, CO, WY, MT, North Dakota, and Alaska. The predominant machine was Cat. In fact, I do not remember a John Deere machine on any of the coal mines I inspected in all those years. In 1987, I became a Remedial Project Manager on the largest Superfund Site in the US. The famous Berkeley Pit and associated superfund activities in Butte, MT including Silver Bow Creek and the Clark Fork River. The incredible mess was created by the Anaconda Minerals Company but the obligations fell to ARCO who bought out Anaconda (they lived to regret that). In all the massive activities associated with the remedial activities in Butte and the actual reconstruction of 22 river miles of Silver Bow Creek, I never saw a Deere. Let me admit that most of the machines on these kind of sites were above the D6 size machines. But there were activites for smaller dozers going on and they were always Cat. In 2005, I went to Denver and worked on the Rocky Mtn Arsenal. This was a 6 square mile area near Denver where Mustard gas, sarin gas and other chemical weapons were producted and tested from WWI to Vietnam. It was considered one of the most contaminated sites in the world. Some operations required operators to use supplied air or SCBA and Level C PPE. There are 2 subtiltle C landfills on the arsenal and one of those (The Enhanced HWL) far exceeds subtitle C requirements due to the nature of the contaminats disposed there. About half those 6 square miles required earth work. There were several small dozers deployed there by numerous different contractors retained by the Dept of Defense. They were all Cat. I spent almost all my time doing on-site inspections. Often just watching dozers push dirt. Some of the best equipment operators on the planet were on this project. The requirements were as high as I have ever seen. Safety was beyond believe. If you were stung by a bee or nicked your finger with a pocket knife, it had to be fully reported and investigated and I mean that literally. There were cases of operators being escorted to the gates and released for what would have gone unnoticed on most coal mines. The point is this. Why did these high level contractors use Cat dozers? What do they know or not know that causes them to select Cat? In fact, I remember the adage at the arsenal, that if it is a dozer, it has to be a Cat. There was always other brands when it came to loaders, trucks, excavators, compactors, etc. But not when it came to Dozers. I have nothing other than this observation to support the conclusion that for whatever reason, all things considered, the big earth moving operations use Cat! Maybe change is on the way and my observation is dated. That is alright by me. I don't own Cat stock anymore!
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