Little Cat Feat

A section of Church Street in Hoosick Falls was closed all day and evening Tuesday as Village and Town crews worked to replace a plugged sewer line and install a new manhole. It was a good workout for the wheel excavator the Town of Hoosick is trying out. Among its attributes the CAT M316D offers low fuel consumption and low noise and vibration. It weighs about 38,000 pounds, which is half the size of the Gradall it would replace. It is a 2008 used machine that will cost less than $150,000. A new Gradall would cost $250,000. Town Highway Superintendent Bill Shiland said “It’s a powerful machine. It’s a different way of doing what we’ve always done, and we can save $100,000. (Bea Peterson photo)