A GARBAGE truck driver was killed in the second fatal Far Northern level-crossing accident in a month when a Sunlander train ploughed into his vehicle near Innisfail yesterday.

A GARBAGE truck driver was killed in the second fatal Far Northern level-crossing accident in a month when a Sunlander train ploughed into his vehicle near Innisfail yesterday.

The truck driver was dead before the first ambulance arrived at the community of Mundoo, 5km south of Innisfail, just before noon, Queensland Ambulance Service’s Warren Martin said.

The truck driver is believed to have been thrown from his vehicle and found in the train wreckage following the 11.20am accident.

While the impact derailed two locomotives, spinning the main one almost 180 degrees, the train drivers miraculously escaped with minor cuts and bruises.

Two baggage cars and four passenger carriages also derailed.

Of the 127 passengers on the south-bound train, six were treated at the scene and then transferred to Innisfail District Hospital.

Three of them were pregnant women.

Mr Martin said the most serious injury was to one of the pregnant women who had suffered severe abdominal pain.

"We also had an elderly person with high blood pressure and a young boy who has hit his head on a pole when the crash occurred," he said.

The remaining passengers were assessed by ambulance officers and attended to in sweltering heat by SES crews.

"Given the number of passengers it was very difficult for the first ambulance units on scene," Mr Martin said.

Passengers were later taken by ambulances and SES vehicles to nearby Wangan community hall while transport arrangements were made.

Innisfail police district Inspector David Tucker said the tragedy happened at a level crossing that had no warning lights.

He said there were no early clues to what had caused the crash but police were "keeping an open mind".

"Quite obviously, this is an intersection that is controlled by a stop sign over the level crossing, so that will be part of the investigation," he said.

Queensland Fire and Rescue Service Insp Neville Newcom said after his crews arrived on scene they began monitoring fuel and oil spills coming from the locomotives and removed the body from the train wreck.

The crash comes a month after another fatal smash in November near Cardwell where two tilt-train drivers were killed after smashing into a semi-trailer at a level crossing.

Insp Newcom said they were different kinds of collisions.

"The difference here is that this is a very heavy duty train, whereas the tilt train was a very light and fast unit," he said.

"You can see the difference here is the train has travelled a further 100-150m further down the track whereas the tilt train basically pulled up (quickly).

Queensland Rail acting chief executive Deborah O'Toole said QR was distressed that another fatal level crossing crash had occurred.

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