More than 100 passengers stranded overnight on Queensland Tilt Train after storm brings down powerlines near Gympie

More than 100 passengers have endured a night of darkness, heat and overflowing toilets after lightning brought down powerlines and stranded a Tilt Train for around 12 hours. The train came to a halt near Gundiah, north of Gympie in Queensland, about midnight after lightning brought down powerlines. Passengers remained onboard as crews worked to isolate the live wires and make the area safe. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Lightning strike traps passengers on tilt train overnight Passenger Riley Hudd described the moment emergency crews arrived to find live wires lying across the top of the train. “They went on top of the train there, sparks flying up above, shaking the cabin.” The passengers were eventually evacuated on Wednesday morning, with buses completing the Brisbane to Bundaberg service. But the ordeal left travellers exhausted and frustrated after spending most of the night trapped inside the train. Hudd said the conditions inside the carriage became increasingly difficult. “The toilets didn’t work so they’re pretty much overflowing, it’s emergency lighting only, so very dark, very hot.” Passenger Natasha Skennar, who got off the train about 6.30am, said the lack of space and poor conditions had taken their toll. “You feel claustrophobic,” she said, questioning why travellers had been left onboard for so long. “I understand that QR boss has his protocols, but leaving people there on the bloody train for 12 hours and there’s children. “I think they need to give us compensation for the inconvenience.” The damage also disrupted services across the region, with other train trips cancelled as repair crews worked to restore the network. More than 500 metres of overhead rail equipment was damaged in the incident. While workers carried out repairs, some local residents were also left unable to travel to work. Gundiah resident Ally Willis said the disruption had left the community isolated. “None of the residents up here could go to work today, if there was an emergency we would have been in trouble.” Queensland Rail said it “appreciated customers’ frustration” and apologised for the inconvenience. Passengers affected by the disruption will be refunded. It remains unclear when normal passenger services will resume. BRISBANE WEATHER FORECAST Forecast sourced from the Bureau of Meteorology.