Yes! The JD cats were and are used for short haul freighting 
One of the more popular uses is for pulling a "sled" for gathering Maple Sap 
My cousins purchased the 420 brand new in the middle of "Sugaring" in the spring of '54 (I think the year is right, but might have been a year or 2 later) 
They had used horses up to that point, but one of the horses went lame in the middle of "Sugaring" 
They have been using the 420 ever since. 
The "sled has a front truck identical to a "bob sleigh",(We in the northeast call them "bob sleds"), but no back truck with cross chains There is a bunk on top of the front truck with 2 skids to the rear (sort of like a travois) and a platform between the skids that carries the "draw tub" (sap tank) This setup will bring in 300 gallons of sap at a time They very often are working on top of 3' of snow when they start tapping and 8" of MUD when they finish the season What fascinates me is the fact that it is a 4 roller machine, not a 5 roller AND they carry the blade It still will get out there and "break trail" on 3' of snow Dave
