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Originally Posted On: https://skicatcompany.com/blog/pistenbully-400-trail/

The PistenBully 400 Trail: A Game-Changer in Snow Moving

Owning and operating a business that runs through the winter season means hauling equipment in wintry conditions, maintaining trails, clearing train tracks, worksites, and recreation spaces, and transporting everyone involved over snowy terrain. To do this effectively, you need a vehicle with enough power, hauling capacity, and versatility to handle all your needs. While you’ve likely heard that PistenBully is one of the best-selling snowcat brands in the world, it can be unclear which PistenBully suits your needs.

With the PistenBully 400 Trail, your snowcat questions have been answered. As a part of the superior family of PistenBully machinery, the 400 Trail model can do it all. Combining an entire generation of operating convenience and comfort, the PistenBully 400 Trail uses innovative performance technology and the cleanest exhaust while maintaining the same quality as other beloved PistenBully models.

Simply hop into the cab, select your customized settings and drive off — it is that easy to get started maintaining your property. If you’re ready to rent a PistenBully 400 Trail, browse the new Ski Cat Company webpage to learn how.

What Is the PistenBully 400?

The PistenBully 400 Trail is a superior snow-moving, hauling, and dozing machine from the world’s premium snowcat manufacturer, Kässbohrer. If you’ve considered purchasing a snowcat in the past, you’ve likely considered that the PistenBully 400 models had an ideal balance of weight and force. Their compact design gave you the control you needed when maintaining your worksite, business, or personal property.

You can enjoy that same compatibility while taking advantage of the PistenBully 100 and 600’s cleaner engine, even more comfortable cockpit, and intuitive operating controls. The 400 Trail’s dual chassis options and inimitable torque and traction make for the most powerful moveability you will ever have on many types of treacherous terrain.

What Exactly Makes the PistenBully 400 Trail So Versatile?

The PistenBully 400 is considered a top-tier utility vehicle because it is suitable for numerous use cases, especially large dozing and snow-blowing operations. In fact, with its powerful 400-horsepower engine and its excellent tractive footprint, the 400 Trail is the ideal machine for running high-volume snowblowers. Our 400 Trails are specially configured to run these attachments with ease.

Kahlbacher snow blowers come in two sizes for the Trail model: 3.6m and 4.4m clearing widths.  These rotary blowers have dual chutes that rotate 210 degrees, allowing for snow discharge to the optimal location.  In fact, the 400 Trail’s high horsepower engine enables the blower to throw snow in excess of 100 feet.

Of course, the 400 Trail isn’t just a snow-blowing machine. The blower is quickly interchangeable with the PistenBully blade and is operated using the same joystick controls already a part of the operator’s cab. The option of having a snow blower or a blade makes the PistenBully 400 the ideal machine for heavy dozing, towing, and snow-blowing operations.  Its cost-effective, modern design and reduced emissions are coupled with the power necessary for fast, efficient work.

The Ski Cat fleet of PistenBully 400 Trail models can also be configured with 5, 10, 15, or 20-person passenger cabins. This gives operators the option to haul groups of people and equipment across all types of terrain, whether for search and rescue operations, touring, backcountry skiing, utility and construction crew transport, or something else. In short, the various applications and heavy-duty capacity of the 400 make it a great choice for so many operations.

How Does the PistenBully 400 Trail Compare to Other Models?

The main difference between the PistenBully 400 Trail and other models is that the Trail model has the optimal balance of power and maneuverability. When you need work to be quick, easy, simple, and safe, you use the PistenBully 400 Trail. While you can get more precision out of the smaller PistenBully 100 or 300, the 400 Trail uses decades of innovation and technology to give you the most impressive and versatile machine of them all.

Each PistenBully has its place in the PistenBully family, and they all lend their best features to the 400 Trail.

PistenBully 300 Antarctic

There is no match for the PistenBully 300 Antarctic when you are facing extreme weather conditions. As its name implies, this model helps around the globe with scientific research and medical expeditions. While smaller than both the 400 Trail and the company’s larger 600 and 800 models, this vehicle withstands thick ice, harsh terrain, high-speed winds, heavy snow, and most other extreme conditions.

PistenBully 100

Smaller but no small fry, the PistenBully 100 offers the versatility you need when on search and rescuing, off-roading, or performing construction, disaster management, and wildlife observations. The interior has plenty of storage space and room for when the crew needs to come along, especially with the club cab option. Boasting a wide variety of attachment and customization options, this model is capable of any precision job you need done but powerful enough to navigate the most treacherous terrain.

What Makes the PistenBully 400 Trail so Special?

As mentioned, the PistenBully 400 Trail stands out from the crowd because it combines the best parts of the other PistenBully models. The US purchases more PistenBully 400s than any other snowcat, and Ski Cat Company is proud to lease the 400 Trail model.

Understanding the difference will be obvious when you begin operating the machine. The 400 Trail’s combination of better operation, more manageable workload, high performance, and lower emissions makes it one of a kind. Let’s dive into all the ways you’ll notice the spectacular features of the PistenBully 400 Trail.

While Operating It

The PistenBully 400 Trail offers a fluid driving experience whether you’re performing snow maintenance, hauling equipment sleds, clearing terrain, or transporting people. The comfortable cab protects you from the harshest elements and the intuitive controls enable you to switch between custom or preset profiles. Additionally, the driver’s seat, steering wheel, and armrest create a wonderfully crafted ergonomic unit.

While Precision Grooming and Heavy Lifting

Assistance systems decrease your workload with automatic smart functions. With this model’s simple handling and improved slope quality, preparing for your winter workload has never been easier. Similarly, the sheer power behind the 6-cylinder engine ensures you’ll complete any job you set out to do, whether you’re pushing snow or moving equipment.

While Overcoming Obstacles

The 6-belt KombiPlus track provides high-performance and highly wear-resistant track cleats. The optimized belt pitch provides optimum force transmission and high resistance, as well. You’ll experience better push power and gradability while maintaining a smooth ride.

While Going Above and Beyond

Lower fuel consumption and better emissions values combine to make the PistenBully 400 Trail ready for long days of trail prep or at the worksite. A larger tank volume also ensures you can finish the day’s work.

While on the Straight and Narrow

The PistenBully 400 Trail is available in two chassis widths, enabling you to configure your snowcat to handle railroads, bridges, snowmobile trails, and narrow roadways. Alternatively, you can choose the extra wide tracks to provide you with unmatched traction and stability for your heaviest loads.

What Equipment Comes With the PistenBully 400 Trail?

One of the most remarkable features of a PistenBully snowcat is that the standard equipment is enough to do most jobs. Even though you can acquire a host of attachments and alternate equipment for niche tasks, as long as you have proper training, the standard PistenBully is excellent as is.

Some of the equipment that comes standard includes:

Gear Box, Chassis & Wheels

• The optimized splitter box means less noise and vibration
• The trailing axles improve driving characteristics
• The concise mainframe increases accessibility to the drive components
• The functional fenders mean no more throwing snow everywhere

Hydraulics and Auxiliary Hydraulics

• Comes with an electro-hydraulic brake
• Includes a high-pressure filter
• Speed and response are best-in-class
• Ability to control functions proportionally and independently

Cab

• Handsfree Bluetooth capabilities
• USB and auxiliary connections
• Radio and DAB

Lighting

• Halogen headlights
• The carrier frame features LED turn indicators, rear lights, and SideFinder lights
• LED BladeFlap lights

Electronics and Batteries

• Easy-to-understand diagnostics
• Components have cold-running protection
• Reduced part variety means easy maintenance

Accessories

Ski Cat Company exclusively rents and sells Kahlbacher snow blowers and offers them as an attachment to the Ski Cat rental fleet of PistenBully 400 and 100 models. These blowers are easily interchangeable with the PistenBully blades.  Operators can also choose from a range of passenger cabs, including 5, 10, 15, and even 20-passenger options.

How Customers Use The PistenBully 400 Trail

While you likely have a specific use case in mind for your next PistenBully machine, explore some of the ways 400 Trail owners use their premium snowcats.

Versatile Snow Removal

Whether you need to clear snow from a construction site, train tracks, highway, trail, wind turbine field, industrial property, or remote lodge, the PistenBully 400 Trail is ready for the job. Clearing trails and railroad tracks can also ensure contractor, equipment, and supply access to your job site. The optional high-volume snow blower can help you clear your property in no time.

Powerful Transport

No matter your industry, you’ll likely need to transport people, supplies, and equipment to places spread far and wide. If you need to transport people, the optional 15-20 person cabin can take your entire group in one trip. For cargo needs, the PistenBully 400 Trail is perfectly capable of towing material sleds and equipment.

Ski Lifts

Whether or not you operate a ski resort, it’s common knowledge that sometimes, the most remote places have the best snow and the most challenging slopes. No matter what type of business you operate, the PistenBully 400 can help you transport employees or clients to the best ski areas. The roomy cabin turns this durable, versatile machine into a makeshift ski lift, impressing clients and making the most remote spots accessible.

Search and Rescue

If you have spent any prolonged time in extreme winter conditions, you have witnessed an emergency or the aftermath. This snowcat can be indispensable to your search and rescue team when you do not have a helicopter or other rescue equipment. Its high-performance traction and impressive maneuverability allow it to traverse complex terrain and rocky surfaces.

The 400 can transport medical supplies, people, and anything else necessary to help someone trapped in an unsafe condition.

Exploration

Unsurprisingly, this snowcat’s ability to handle untraversable terrain makes for a great exploration vehicle. That remote location will never be more accessible than in a PistenBully 400. It can transport your entire crew, equipment, and any food you want to bring along and the powerful engine and large fuel tank will prevent you from stopping and starting unnecessarily.

Hauling and Towing

With best-in-class torque and traction in snowy conditions, the Pistenbully 400 Trail is the preferred hauling and towing snowcat for a wide variety of industries. From military operations, dump sites, and transportation maintenance to communications and utility servicing, operations of all types can benefit from the 400 Trail’s optimal pushing, pulling, and dragging capabilities.

Frequently Asked Questions About the PistenBully 400 Trail

The PistenBully 400 Trail is one of the most popular and versatile machines on the market.

Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about PistenBully snowcats.

What Is a Snowcat?

Snowcats are fully tracked, enclosed vehicles that move on snow and rugged terrain. They are multipurpose machines suitable for plowing, snow grooming, creating obstacle courses, transporting passengers, and other winter weather activities. PistenBully snowcats are high-quality vehicles with an environmentally conscious design that can handle any ski resort or lodge task.

Are Snowcats Good On Any Terrain?

The ability to change a snowcat’s tracks makes it ideal for all types of snowy terrain.

 Types of terrain they work best on include:

• Steep slopes
• Moorland
• Ice
• Wooded areas
• Rock

Of course, you should use caution when traversing difficult terrain and always ensure that you have the right track installed. Still, your PistenBully snowcat can allow you to go places lesser machinery can’t handle.

How Do I Get a PistenBully 400 Trail?

At Ski Cat Company, we offer many PistenBully models for lease, including the PistenBully 400 Trail. If you are interested in leasing a snowcat, reach out to our knowledgeable staff. They can help you determine which of the 400 models best fits your snow grooming or maintenance needs. If any other models interest you, they can assist you with information on those as well.

Should I Lease or Purchase a PistenBully 400?

You can buy a PistenBully 400 Trail, but think of it this way: different snow maintenance jobs require different machinery. Sometimes, you may not need all of its power; at other times, you might want more. Occasionally, you will prefer a smaller snowcat with more maneuverability. So, while you can purchase a PistenBully 400 Trail, leasing this snowcat instead will give you greater flexibility when you need it.

Is There Training For the PistenBully 400 Trail?

Yes, there is a training course for the PistenBully 400 Trail.

Taking part in the training course can give you or your maintenance staff vital information that can:

• Increase efficiency
• Decrease risk
• Reduce operating costs

The best part is that you get complimentary access to our online training by leasing a PistenBully from Ski Cat Company. So whether you want the training for yourself to brush up on your snow grooming basics or you are looking to train new staff members on snowcat services, our PistenBully training course is for you.

Contact Ski Cat Company To Find Out More

The PistenBully 400 Trail’s uses go far beyond simply moving snow. This versatile and powerful snowcat is great for trail and rail clearing, job site maintenance, ice-breaking, rescue emergencies, exploration, and much more. At Ski Cat Company, we have loads of information about the PistenBully 400 Trail and other snowcat models. If you are in the market to lease a snowcat for your snow grooming, maintenance, or exploratory needs, get in touch so we can answer your questions and give you a quote.