The Queensland Rail maintenance worker who was hit and killed by a passenger train at a station north of Brisbane, has been identified as a rail veteran.

Robert Knights, 64, was killed at Petrie Station on Monday night and was the first Queensland Rail worker to be killed on the job in more than seven years.

The incident happened at 10.26pm and it is understood Mr Knights was part of a team of workers carrying out scheduled track maintenance on the Redcliffe Peninsular line.

A Queensland Ambulance Service spokeswoman said the victim was taken to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital in a serious condition with lower leg injuries, where he later died.