Wilmar Sugar Australia release video of sugar-cane train, haul-out harvester collision

Australia’s largest sugar producer has released shock footage of the moment a haul-out vehicle collides with a cane train in North Queensland. See the video.

Australia’s largest sugar producer has released a shocking video of the moment a haul-out harvesting vehicle collides with a cane train in North Queensland.

The video comes as Wilmar Sugar Australia says it is “alarmed” at a spike in collisions and near-misses with cane trains as well as a surge in potentially deadly incidents of children catching rides on moving cane bins.

Wilmar Sugar said on Wednesday that incidents included a collision with a car that allegedly failed to give way crossing in the Burdekin, a staggering 10 near-hits in the Herbert region and multiple reports of children “riding’ on cane bins through the Ingham town corridor”.

CCTV from one of Wilmar’s Burdekin sugar-cane locomotives captures detailed footage of a haul-out truck colliding with a cane train, after failing to give way at an occupational crossing.

“We are very concerned about the number of hits and near-hits we have seen around our rail crossings this season, a number of which have been captured by our on-board loco cameras,” Wilmar General Manager Cane Supply and Grower Relations Paul Giordani said.

He said it was particularly upsetting that a number of recent incidents also involved local children or sugar industry workers.

CCTV from one of Wilmar’s Burdekin sugar-cane locomotives captures detailed footage of a haul-out truck colliding with a cane train, after failing to give way at an occupational crossing. (Picture 2/3)

“While complacency appears to play a role in some cases, in others, children are choosing to engage in risky and dangerous behaviours by jumping on and off moving cane bins.”

Wilmar Sugar owns and operates eight sugar mills across the Herbert, Burdekin, Proserpine and Sarina regions.

CCTV from one of Wilmar’s Burdekin sugar-cane locomotives captures detailed footage of a haul-out truck colliding with a cane train, after failing to give way at an occupational crossing. (Picture 3/3)

Mr Giordani said the company had installed front and rear-facing cameras on its entire Herbert locomotive fleet, and was progressively fitting cameras on all locos in its other milling regions.

He said CCTV from one of Wilmar’s Burdekin locos captured detailed footage of a haul-out truck colliding with a cane train, after failing to give way at an occupational crossing.

As the train approaches the crossing, the haul-out truck can be seen exiting a paddock ahead of the locomotive, and travelling in the same direction for a short distance before cutting across the cane rail crossing in front of the oncoming cane train.

Wilmar Sugar Australia's GM Cane Supply and Growers Relations Paul Giordani.

Other 2022 season incidents include:

A near-hit in the Burdekin where a haul-out vehicle crossed a cane rail line in front of a loco

A near-hit in the Burdekin involving a bobcat working near the cane rail line without authorisation

An incident in Proserpine involving an excavator travelling along the cane rail line colliding with a locomotive

A near-hit in Proserpine where a member of the public was waiting for a bus too close to the rail line

A collision in the Sarina region where a haul-out vehicle crossed in front of a fully-laden cane train

Proserpine excavator collision released by Wilmar Sugar Australia.

Mr Giordani said it was fortunate that none of the incidents had resulted in serious injury or worse, although some of the vehicles and equipment had sustained significant damage.

“With several weeks remaining till the end of the season, I’d urge all road users to exercise extreme caution around our cane rail network.”

He said cane trains operated 24/7 during the crushing season and could not swerve or stop quickly.

“Please approach all cane rail crossings with caution, obey all signs and signals, and always give way to cane trains.”

Originally published as Wilmar Sugar Australia release video of sugar-cane train, haul-out harvester collision