Power at the Peak

The Cat^® AP1055D Asphalt Paver is the first tracked paver A&S Construction has operated. Paving in the mountains is a perfect application for the machine due to its stability and tractive power.

"As far as the paver is concerned, you can't even tell you're at altitude," said John P. Ary, owner of A&S. "That's one of the reasons we went with Caterpillar."

The slopes and super-elevations can be as steep as 19 degrees, said David Tafoya, paving foreman with A&S, a division of Ary Corp, Cannon City, Colo. "There are grades and slopes to worry about, and then there is the incredible amount of weight the paver is pulling. This paver has the power, and it also grips. You cannot afford to twist and turn, and this machine doesn't."

Operator Kevin Clement referred to the paver as "a bulldozer."

"That's the best paver," he said. "It has good power, and you need that up here."

You also need a smooth finish. "The paver, the screed (1020B) are good highway rideability screeds," Tafoya said. "Rideability counts every bit as much up here."

Clement also praised the visibility, greatly enhanced by the swing-out seat. "You can see the very edge," he said. "That matters everywhere—and nowhere more so than here."

Tafoya believes the AP1055D is a productive, high-end machine no matter where it's used. "That is an awesome machine," he said. "Caterpillar has pretty much nailed it."