Caterpillar® 325 Trackhoe With Thumb

The 325 excavator is one of the most versatile components of Hulcher’s fleet of heavy equipment. It is perfectly designed for a wide range of railroad tasks, including:

Hulcher’s excavators are equipped with a thumb attachment, expanding their capabilities for railroad support. With the thumb attachment, the excavator can be used to move rail, ties, car parts, product, trucks and wheels and can assemble truck sets as well.

One of the most versatile pieces of equipment in Hulcher's fleet, the excavator is used for Mechanical / Railroad Services, Engineering Services, Environmental Services, Transfer / Load Adjustment Services and Disaster Response.

The most important part of an excavator is the operator. Hulcher’s operators are railroad specialists. They have received training in railroad applications, are current in safety and security certification requirements for all Class 1 railroads, and have spent years perfecting their craft in maintenance-of-way environments.

More information on Hulcher Excavators

Case Study: Hulcher Clears Fire Damage For Bridge Repair, Performs Driftwood Removal From Bridge Piers - A fire on driftwood resulted in a bridge repair project for the railroad. During this work it became apparent that the driftwood was causing more concerns than just a fire threat. The railroad needed a contractor that could support their crew's bridge repair work and to pull out the driftwood from around the bridge piers.

Case Study: Grade Stabilization - The railroad had a serious problem with soil saturation in various spots along a 150-mile stretch of their track across one Midwestern state. Without sufficient drainage, rain water saturated the soil under and around the rails, destabilizing the track to potentially dangerous levels. As a result the railroad was forced to reduce their trains’ speeds in this area to as little as 10 mph. In addition, the poor drainage problem began to impact neighboring farm lands, increasing the urgency for an immediate and permanent solution.

Case Study: Pile Driver With Rail - The railroad was concerned about a 100-foot stretch of track along a highway where the embankment was crumbling into the road. They quickly determined that grade stabilization was needed, and proposed a unique solution: they would use pieces of recycled rail to stabilize the soil rather than invest in new H-beams or sheet pile. The railroad looked to Hulcher Services to assist with this unconventional approach to lift and drive recycled rail.

Case Study: Hulcher Pile Driver, Excavator Support Rail Gang on Bridge Stabilization - The retaining wall and soil around a bridge was in need of repair. The soil had eroded away and the retaining wall had collapsed, making the bridge less able to support rail traffic. The railroad had a crew onsite, ready to rebuild the retaining wall and drop in fill dirt, but they needed an experienced railroad contractor to drive the steel beams needed to provide the necessary support and durability.

Case Study: Pile Driver, Excavator and Hi-Rail Rotary Dump Truck Stabilize Bank at Bridge Headwall - A significant erosion issue was causing the railroad to lose track profile adjacent to the headwall at one corner of a bridge. They needed an experienced railroad contractor to build up and stabilize the bank around the headwall.

Case Study: Excavator and Vibratory Hammer Pile Driver Drive H-Beams for Sound Barrier Wall at Hump Yard - The noise from a hump yard's master retarder interefered with the work environment at a nearby locomotive repair shop. The railroad decided to build a sound barrier made of stacked concrete, supported by H-beams; they needed a pile driver contractor who was qualified to work at the busy hump yard to set up the steel framework for the sound barrier.

Case Study: Large Undercutter Project - The railroad needed experienced, trained undercutter operators who could provide the high-quality work needed for a critical segment of their rail network and complete the work during a tight shut-down period.

Case Study: Hulcher Services Performs Environmental Remediation of Arsenic Contamination at Rail Yard for the Railroad - The railroad needed the environmental remediation of significant arsenic contamination at one of their major rail yards. The affected areas were in an active part of the yard, and it was crucial that interruptions to track serviceability were minimized during the clean-up.

Case Study: Hulcher Remediates Pond at Chemical Manufacturing Facility - A chemical manufacturing facility was closing a pond on their property, and the pond required remediation before it was filled in. They needed a contractor with the expertise and heavy equipment to clean and restore the site.

Case Study: Emergency Response and Remediation Resolves Major Hazardous Material Spill - Following a major spill, a mass evacuation of the area was ordered as a result of the various materials involved. The customer needed an experienced emergency response / environmental contractor who could clean up the spill and restore the site.

Case Study: Hulcher Services Rehabilitates Containment System for Two Million-Gallon Above Ground Storage Tanks ASTs - The railroad identified that its containment system for two one-million gallon Above Ground Storage Tanks (ASTs) used for diesel storage was out of compliance. They needed the installation of a new GCL liner and cover system, along with improvements to the storm water drainage collection and removal system inside the dike.

Case Study: Hulcher Services Removes Three Diesel and Lube Oil Above-ground Storage Tanks (ASTs) From Railyard - A railroad’s environmental group wanted three diesel and lube oil above-ground storage tanks (ASTs) at their storage yard to be removed. While the 63,000 gallon ASTs were no longer in use, they were still connected to fueling stations. The group also wanted the tanks’ retaining wall to be demolished to open the space for future use.

Case Study: Hulcher Services Remediates 13,500 Tons of Contaminated Soil at Former Salvage Yard - A five-acre property had previously been used as a salvage yard where battery and metal recycling took place. The property owner needed a contractor to excavate and remediate the contaminated soil at this site.

Case Study: Hulcher Services Provides Disaster Response for Railroad's Tornado Damage - Following a series of devastating tornados, one railroad found that nine miles of its track were buried in debris. A local neighborhood and large forest were torn apart by the storms, resulting in wreckage on the tracks as high as 20 feet. This debris made it impossible for rail crews to reach a badly damaged trestle bridge on this stretch. The railroad needed an experienced disaster response contractor to clear the track while coordinating with local emergency officials and the area’s residents.

Case Study: Hulcher Provides Disaster Response to Simultaneous Major Flood Events - Record snowfalls and spring rains resulted in major flooding throughout North Dakota. Much of the state was declared a disaster area. At the same time, a separate flood event devastated several midwest states. Railroads, local governments and industry needed a contractor with extensive, national resources, including trained crews and a fleet of heavy equipment, to respond to both flood events.

Case Study: Demolition - The railroad’s sand tower and adjacent oil filling station were no longer being used and had become an “eye sore” for the local residents. Rather than incurring the expense to maintain the building and tower, the railroad decided the best option was to demolish them. After a competitive bidding process, Hulcher Services was chosen for this project.

Case Study: Hulcher Services Remediates Six 3,000-Gallon Underground Storage Tanks (USTs) - While excavating a piece of property, the railroad discovered a buried tank farm of six 3,000-gallon underground storage tanks (USTs). The railroad needed a contractor to clean out and remove the tanks and refill the area so it could be used for other purposes.

Case Study - Hulcher Excavator, Wheel Loader and Backhoe Perform Bridge Maintenance - The railroad needed to perform major refurbishing on a 300-foot bridge on an active stretch of right-of-way. They needed a contractor with the equipment and expertise to remove the old rail, ballast and support ties and replace them with new materials within the tight time constraints of their traffic schedule.

Project Snapshot - Hulcher Excavator Clears Vegetation Canopy Over Right-Of-Way - A canopy of tree limbs 35 feet over the right-of-way was interfering with double-stack rail cars and ground brush had grown close to the tracks.

Hulcher Mechanical / Railroad Services Overview

Hulcher Engineering Services Overview

Hulcher Environmental Services Overview

Hulcher Disaster Response Overview

Hulcher Transfer / Load Adjustment Services Overview

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