The scene of the crash in a still from Seven News Brisbane. Commuters have been advised to seek alternative transport. Potential bus services include routes 306 (from Brisbane City to Nudgee Beach), 310 (from Brisbane City to Brighton), 315 (from Brisbane City to Scarborough), 325 (from Chermside to Sandgate), 335 (from Brisbane City to Sandgate), and Toombul services 300, 301, 321 and 322. Meanwhile, eastbound traffic on St Vincents Road is being diverted onto Royal Parade and westbound traffic is being diverted via Tufnell Road. The truck driver, who became pinned between his trailer and a fence when the train hit, underwent emergency surgery for pelvic and leg injuries at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital this morning.

The scene of the crash in a still from Seven News Brisbane. He was in a stable condition by 4pm, a hospital spokeswoman confirmed. Police said the truck driver was frantically trying to jack up his semi-trailer when the northbound train, travelling from Brisbane to Shorncliffe, came bearing down on him. The scene of the truck and train crash in Banyo this morning. Credit:Marissa Calligeros A station guard was at the platform and tried to radio through a warning to the main control centre, Queensland Rail chief customer officer Martin Ryan revealed earlier today.

"We are still investigating all the processes that have occurred this morning and once we get all that data confirmed we will be able to release that,'' he said. Mr Ryan believed the train driver saw the truck across the tracks as he rounded a bend towards Banyo station. "The [train] driver has applied his emergency brakes, but unfortunately has hit the low-loader, causing significant damage to the train, the track and also the truck," he said. The screech of emergency breaks and a blast of the train's horn alerted the truck driver, but it was a too late. Unable to stop in time the train slammed into the semi-trailer, shunting it against another southbound train already stopped at Banyo station, where about 30 commuters were waiting.

Under the force of the collision the chains holding the transformer onto the trailer snapped and were later found hanging from a nearby tree. The cabin became wedged against the station platform, smashing through a concrete pathway as it hit. Part of the trailer became wedged between the two trains, while its cargo remained on the opposite tracks on the other side of the train. ‘‘We understand that the trailer was stopped and the driver and another person ... were out of the vehicle," police Inspector Mark Laing told reporters at the scene. ‘‘The preliminary inquiries would suggest the boom gates have actually come down on top of his truck.

‘‘So there's certainly no suggestion at this point in time that he was trying to run around boom gates. ‘‘I've been briefed that he was attempting to do what he could do to move the truck." Paramedics assessed another 15 patients on scene, 14 of whom were on the train at the time of the incident and the train driver. No-one assessed on scene was reported to be injured, according to the Department of Community Safety. Mr Ryan said the crash was "devastating for all Queensland Rail drivers, particularly the gentleman that was at the controls". "He will have this image implanted in his head for many years. This is an unfortunate incident,'' he said.

"We implore motorists and pedestrians to please behave at level crossings; obey the law; do not push through gates; do not rush the boom gates; just drive at the speeds that are signed and also obey the road signals." Mr Ryan said it was not clear whether the truck was authorised to use the level crossing. "Investigations are continuing at the moment. Queensland Police are looking at the whole of the incident, including the use of the road, also the train actions and the actions of all of the people involved," Mr Ryan said. The wreckage was not expected to be completely cleared until late this evening as extra precautions needed to be taken removing the transformer, which was understood to be filled with 5000 litres of oil, police said. An Energex spokesman confirmed the privately-owned transformer was on its way to Energex’s Banyo workshop for repairs.

Energex dispatched crews and heavy lifting equipment to help clear the tracks, but the spokesman said oil needed to be drained from the transformer before it could be removed. Passengers and nearby residents described the scene earlier today. Chris Hambling, 30, was a passenger in the front carriage of southbound train, which was stopped at the station. He spotted a man moving across the tracks and heard him shouting, before screeching and scrapping sounds of “metal on metal’’. “It was over particularly quickly,’’ he said.

“It was all fairly calm on our train. A few people shouted ‘oh my God’.’’ Local residents, including 54-year-old David Makeham, were woken by a loud screech and crunch this morning. Mr Makeham was startled and yelled “holy hell, what’s happened’’, describing the sound as “really bad’’. “It was a funny noise,’’ he said. “There was screeching and a loud crunch. It was something, you don’t really know what it is. It disturbs you.’’

Local business owner Harry Gerolemou, 76, said he had been warning that this type of crash could happen for years. “It’s a dangerous intersection. I see people ignoring the flashing lights and boom gates at least 50 to 60 times a day,’’ he said. “I knew something like this was going to happen.’’ Earlier today, the state government said it would not commit funding to safety improvements at the Banyo level crossing until an investigation by the Rail Safety Regulator was completed. Transport Minister Scott Emerson said if the investigation found something needed to be done immediately, "we'll look at it".

"It's important for us to give the Rail Safety Regulator and the Queensland Police Service the chance to do a proper investigation, but if they come forward and say something has to done in the short term, I'm going to be very keen to hear what they have to say," he said. Brisbane City Council and the LNP state Government have agreed since April to jointly fund upgrades of two different rail crossings north of Brisbane. These are the rail crossings at Telegraph Road, Bracken Ridge and Robinson Road, Geebung. The council for several years, while Campbell Newman was lord mayor, opened the door to fixing the rail crossing by offering to pay 50 per cent of the work, which was more than the council would normally provide. But at the time, the previous Labor state government said it could not find any funding for the work until 2020.

In Tuesday’s state budget, now-premier Mr Newman allocated $124 million to begin work on the Telegraph Road and Robinson Road crossings. In the first six months of this year there were 213 incidents, including near-misses, reported at level crossings across Queensland. Loading In June, the Newman government launched a level crossing safety campaign titled "Crosses" and at the same time promised to provide $1 million for a successful tender to trial rail safety technology. - addititional reporting Tony Moore.