Power-Trac PT-1845 Articulated Tractor
Deep in the Weeds, PT-1845 & Roughcut Mower, Fox Knoll, July 24, 2002
Early in 2002 I started searching for a replacement for my aging and never very satisfactory International 484 utility tractor with Bush Hog mower and Westendorf loader. That search eventually led me to the innovative Power-Trac articulated tractors and the PT-1845 model in particular.
The search for a new tractor
I remembered having seen a Ferrari orchard tractor back in the late '60s or early 70s at Columbia Tractor, my local Case IH dealer. It was low, narrow, articulated and 4WD. I thought that might work for bush hogging in my brushy, hilly woods much better than the typical CUT. So I wandered the net looking for such an animal. I didn't find much at all until I landed at TractorByNet.com where on their All Other Brands forum I discovered the Power-Trac (this was before there was a separate Power-Trac forum). The reviews were good and I was hooked. If you haven't been to the TractorByNet.com Power-Trac forum, you might want to check it out. You will find thousands of posts from a dedicated and well informed group of Power-Trac enthusiasts covering every imaginable topic.
The trip to Tazewell VA
Power-Trac only sells factory direct so in April of 2002 I made the trip to Tazewell VA and bought a new PT-1845 tractor and a nice collection of Attachments and had them shipped to me here in NY (here's what I bought). Since then I've been posting information on this site about my tractor, my experiences with it, and technical information that might help me care for it.
Sedgewood
I'm "Sedgewood" on the TractorByNet.com Power-Trac forum.
Pushing up Daisies, June 30, 2003
Pushing up Daisies
A year into my life with the PT-1845 disaster struck. On April 18, 2003 I was out roughcut mowing a field when something in the engine compartment caught fire. The resulting fire caused major damage to the tractor and it was September before I got the tractor rebuilt and ready to use again. The picture above was taken on June 30. The tractor was still in the field, pushing up daisies, while the insurance company and I worked out our differences.
Comparing the PT-1845 to the PT-1445
While I was in the midst of my negotiations with the insurance company Power-Trac came out with a new model, the PT-1445 which seemed, in its capabilities, even more closely suited to my needs than the PT-1845. I gathered together info I thought might help me make a choice, should the opportunity arise out of the insurance settlement. That info is here. After a lengthy process my insurance company totalled the tractor, we settled, and I bought the carcase from the insurance company and rebuilt it.
It's a Jungle Out There, September 8, 2003
It's a jungle out there!
The rebuild was a success! September 8, 2003 - PT rejoins the working world. The tractor is rebuilt and running again and since then I have been, despite a few issues, very happy with the tractor and it's astonishing capabilities.
Power-Trac contact info
PowerTrac
P O Box 539
Tazewell Industrial Park
Tazewell VA 24651
1 (800) 843-9273
fax 1 (276) 988-9566
http://www.power-trac.com
Director of Service & Maintenance
Terry Estep
terrye@power-trac.com (Terry doesn't respond well to email - phone is best)
Other Power-Trac owners
To locate other Power-Trac owners try going to TractorByNet.com and searching for "Power-Trac" or "Power Trac" in member profiles.