Train passengers stranded for hours with no aircon, no food and full toilets

In short:

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. 

What's next?

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.

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.  

"No aircon, the toilets were pretty full, there was no food,"

he said.

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

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. 

"It was always very vague." 

Replacement buses, some cancellations

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."  

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 said it was investigating the cause of the fault. 

The ABC understands the damage is likely to have been caused by a storm.