It may be holiday time for school students but not for cane trains.

Cane trains will continue to operate around the clock across Wilmar Sugar’s four milling regions into the first week of January.

 General Manager Cane Supply and Grower Relations Paul Giordani said this year’s crush would finish later than usual due to the significant amount of time lost to wet weather this season.

“We expect to crush beyond Christmas at most of our mills, so our simple message to school kids and their families is: Please keep your train brain switched on!”

Mr Giordani said Wilmar’s eight mills had now processed 14.74 million tonnes of the forecast 16.48 million tonne crop – about 90 per cent of the total.

“We’re working closely with growers and harvesting operators to keep crushing until we get the whole crop off,” he said.

“That means harvesters, haul-outs and cane trains will continue to operate throughout the school holidays, creating more potential for interaction between people and heavy machinery in our milling regions.

“Please keep using your train brain this school holidays. Be alert, stay off our rail network and always give way to cane trains.”

Wilmar Sugar’s milling operations span the Herbert, Burdekin, Proserpine and Sarina regions.