GOMACO World Index --- GOMACO World 27.3 - September 1999

 

New Generation Commander III Four-Track

 

Commander III

On State Highway Nine through Marion, Indiana, traffic is zooming by in a hurry to reach the many businesses and stores lining the roadway. The drivers don't realize they are passing by a new piece of history. Primco, Inc., is paving with the first four-track new generation Commander III.

"The project is about 5.31km (3.3 mi). The north side is basically 20m (67 ft) wide. We've got a 4.88m (16 ft) turning lane, 3.66 (12 ft) passing lanes, 4.08m (13.4 ft) driving lanes, curb, driveways, and some sidewalk," said Jeff Teusch, Primco paving superintendent. "On the south two-thirds of the job, we're running the same 4.88m (16 ft) turn lane in the middle, two 3.66m (12 ft) driving lanes and a 3.05m (10 ft) shoulder with open ditch."

The new generation Commander III is paving the single lane passes and shoulders. "There's a 4.08m (13.4 ft) lane that runs on the north end of the project for approximately 1.61km (one mile) and then it switches to a 3.66m (12 ft) lane," explained Rick Baumer, paving superintendent. "We're also using it for the 3.05m (10 ft) shoulder on the project."

A placer/spreader isn't needed for the single lane paving. The drivers of the front discharge ready-mix trucks place the concrete directly onto the grade.

The $14 million project not only features the new generation Commander III, but also Primco's GOMACO paving train.

The initial pass for the project was made at night with their paving train – the PS-2600 placer/spreader, GP-2600 paver, and T/C-600 texture/cure machine. The GP-2600 paved a 3.66m (12 ft) lane and half of the 4.88m (16 ft) median in one 6.1m (20 ft) pass.

Primco chose to pave the 6.1m (20 ft) pass at night because of the heavy traffic load the road carries during the day. "It's been doubling our production and it's keeping our people a lot safer," said Teusch.

"The only switch we make with the paving train is taking out the GP-2600 and PS-2600 and putting in the Commander III," said Teusch. "We keep the T/C-600 the same width and let it straddle out into the 6.1m (20 ft) lane that we've already paved."

Primco is paving with a concrete mix containing fly ash and a water reducing admixture. Average slump is 44mm (1.75 in). Since the project is a quality assurance job, Primco is responsible for all of the concrete testing and also the mix design.

 

 

Commander III

Commander III

 

 

"The project includes 104,513m2 (125,000 yd2) of 279mm (11 in) pavement," Baumer said. "There's an additional 16,722m2 (20,000 yd2) of 279mm (11 in) shoulder."

Production with the Commander III has averaged around 76m3 (100 yd3) an hour. "For this type of city work and without a spreader, I think that's good production," Baumer said.

Number six L-bars, 914mm (36 in) long and bent at 90 degrees, were manually inserted into the pavement for tying on the lane. Type D-1 joints are placed every 5.49m (18 ft).

Concrete finishing consists of a burlap drag behind the Commander III. The T/C-600 then tines and cures the concrete.

 

 

T/C-600

Commander III

 

 

Primco has always been a company that is very rideability focused and the Commander III isn't disappointing them. "On the 3.66m (12 ft) lane our rideability was in 51 to 102mm (two to four inches)," Baumer said. "I was happy."

The track line is credited with the secret to good rideability. "As far as I'm concerned, most of the tricks of the trade are in the track line," said Teusch. "If you can get a nice, trim track line and keep a consistent head, you really won't have any problems."

The project is scheduled to be completed on August 1, 2000. Primco plans on having it substantially completed, all of the pavement down, by the end of this year.

 

 

Commander III

T/C-600

 

 

When Primco was looking to buy a new paver, they had specific requirements that they wanted in a new machine. "We liked the fact that the Commander III would allow us to go up to 6.1m (20 ft) passes on ramps and also be able to pour barrier and curb and gutter," said Baumer. "We also liked the vertical-lifting and side-shifting trimmerhead on the new generation Commander III."

Both of Primco's superintendents agree that the versatility of the Commander III is one of its best features. "It just has total versatility," said Teusch. "Right now it's a single lane paver, but in the future it has a lot of growth potential for the company. It's the ideal machine."

Baumer added, "I love the versatility of the Commander III four-track," he said. "It's the reason we bought it."

 

 

Commander III

T/C-600 and Commander III

 

 

 

 

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