On average, someone is killed on Victoria's rail lines every week, and often the hidden victims are the train drivers.

Key points: Most long-term train drivers will experience a fatal incident at some time in their career

Most long-term train drivers will experience a fatal incident at some time in their career On average, one person dies on Victoria's rail lines every week

On average, one person dies on Victoria's rail lines every week The train drivers' union says the administrative process following a fatality can be a burden for drivers

According to the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU), most long-term train drivers will experience at least one fatality in their careers — either through accident or misadventure — with some in the industry describing the administrative response as inadequate.

Western Victorian train driver John, who wished to remain anonymous, said he had experienced two fatal incidents.

"After the first time you have a fatality, everything seems to bring back that memory. It affects your family life, your social life, and obviously your work life as well," he said.

"Your colleagues go through the same range of emotions as you do. They rang me up for support. Close friends came over to see how you and your family are coping."

The aftermath and the admin

RTBU Victorian president Wayne Hicks said John's experience was common among long-term train drivers.

"In my career I had three suicides," he said.

"My coping mechanism, how I dealt with it in the case of a suicide: I'm only the instrument, I'm not the perpetrator."

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union estimates that long-term train drivers will experience at least one fatality in their careers. ( ABC News: Danielle Bonica )

Up to 150 deaths on Australia's train lines can be attributed to suicide each year, according to figures from Lifeline.

While going through emotional turmoil, John said the administrative process — which could involve insurance claims, police investigations, and mental health consultations — were a further burden.

"Once you're on the WorkCover wheel and you're continuously being harassed by insurance companies and all that, that's not a process you want to go through," he said.

"You just need a period of time to get over it, if you can."

Mr Hicks said train drivers approached the union with these concerns even years after a fatality.

"[Post-traumatic stress disorder] can take up to 13 years to manifest itself; you might have had several fatalities in that time period," he said.

"You might have one that triggers it where you'll require more time off to recoup and that is where drivers feel the system is inadequate."

'Was it my fault?'

Travelling at 160 kilometres per hour, it takes a passenger train almost a kilometre to stop in dry conditions.

John said that made avoiding incidents almost impossible.

"You second-guess yourself. Did you do everything right? Did you do everything to stop or prevent it? These are all the emotions and questions you ask yourself afterwards," he said.

"You know that you couldn't have stopped the train, you did everything you could, we're talking about a matter of split seconds, there's nothing you could have done."

John said near misses were a regular occurrence and could be just as traumatic.

"A student once ran in front of my train to get to the platform to catch another train," he said.

"Near misses make me reflect on my past history, it's a different experience before and after a fatality.

"After a fatality you think, 'Here I go again', I'm on the rollercoaster ride for another fortnight, with the emotions going up and down."

Repercussions in a regional town

For train drivers who have struck somebody in a small home town, John said there was a risk of unwittingly meeting the deceased's family.

"You might meet their parents or family members up the street or socially, and you've been the train driver who has killed their daughter or son," he said.

"Some train drivers consider moving out of the town."

While many train drivers kept it a secret, John said local train drivers and other rail workers might harbour a lot more pain than the community realised.

"There is no shame in seeking professional help," he said.