Train passengers stranded for hours with no aircon, no food and full toilets - ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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Train passengers stranded for hours with no aircon, no food and full toilets  ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Fire crews were called to help stranded passengers. (Supplied: Riley Hudd)

More than 100 passengers were stranded after fallen powerlines forced their train to stop on Queensland's Fraser Coast. 

The passengers were stranded at Gundiah without air conditioning or food for about six hours. 

Train services north of Gympie have been affected while repair work is underway. 

No food or air conditioning and "pretty full" toilets is how more than 100 passengers spent the night when their train lost power, leaving them stranded.   

Fallen power lines forced the northbound Bundaberg Tilt Train to stop about midnight at Gundiah, about three hours north of Brisbane.

Passengers were stranded on the train for about six hours before being transferred to buses.  

Riley Hudd, who was travelling from the Gold Coast to Hervey Bay, said his journey took about 19 hours.

Riley Hudd had a slow journey from the Gold Coast to Hervey Bay. (ABC Wide Bay: James Taylor)

He said it was a shock when the train stopped.  

"It came to a screeching halt and pretty much slammed on the brakes. Everyone was looking at the sparks," Mr Hudd said.  

He said the stranded passengers were only provided water.  

"There was a bit of complaining and a bit of worry." 

A storm downed powerlines at Gundiah. (Supplied: Riley Hudd)

Mr Hudd said there was limited information about what was happening.   

"The team [on the train] handled it in a good way, but I think the response [from Queensland Rail] could have been better," he said. 

"Queensland Rail was probably just as much in the dark as we were, so they gave us what [information] they could when they could, but it was just a waiting game. 

Energy crews working to repair the damage. (ABC Wide Bay: James Taylor)

Queensland Rail head of regional Scott Cornish said long-distance travel and freight trains on the North Coast line were affected by downed powerlines at Gundiah, and repair works were underway.

"Queensland Rail crews have worked continuously overnight and will remain onsite repairing damage to more than 500 metres of overhead line equipment," he said.

"We appreciate customers' frustration and we apologise for the inconvenience."  

Passengers were escorted off the train in the early hours of the morning. (Supplied: Riley Hudd)

Queensland Rail said buses were transporting Spirit of Queensland, Bundaberg and Rockhampton Tilt Train passengers where possible.

It said some cancellations were in place and all affected customers were being contacted directly.  

Queensland Rail confirmed the damage was caused by a storm. 

Original Source
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-11-12/train-passengers-stranded-for-hours-without-aircon-food-gundiah/107376462
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