Passengers speak after Vic train derails

Passengers on the train that derailed in a collision with a truck in Victoria have spoken of their horror at seeing the mangled wreckage around them.

Nineteen people were injured when a Warrnambool-bound V/Line train was hit by a truck in Pirron Yallock near Colac on Wednesday.

The truck driver, a 41-year-old man from Ballarat, suffered the worst injuries and remains in hospital on Thursday in a serious condition.

Passenger Cheryl Scully saw the driver on the ground, after he was reportedly flung out of his truck by the impact.

"When I looked out the window I saw the truck and it was scattered all over the road," she told Nine News on Thursday.

"And then I saw the driver laying just down below the window near the cattle grid there and that frightened the life out of me."

She said it was a miracle everyone survived.

Ninety-nine people were on the train at the time.

The level crossing is categorised as a "passing crossing" with no boom gates and flashing lights.

Upgrades to the level crossing were meant to be "fast-tracked" 17 months ago and were promised in February 2015.

The state government committed extra money to get it done faster on Thursday, citing "recent incidents".

Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said detailed design and planning has been completed for the gates and electrical and signalling works.

"The installation of the boom gates and the signals are on track to be completed at the end of this year," she told reporters on Thursday.

She said the crossing's isolation made it "a bit of a task to get power to the site."

Liberal MP David Davis said the government had to explain why the fast track hadn't happened.

The Warrnambool railway line has been suspended while the line is cleaned up, with buses replacing trains along the route.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau estimates an investigation will be completed within 12 months.