A temporary rail track and two cranes are needed to clean up the aftermath of 125-tonne train derailment in regional Victoria.
Recovery work on the V/Line locomotive and carriages has started after the Warrnambool-bound train collided with a truck on Wednesday, injuring 19 people.
Victoria Police's major accident investigation team and officials from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau assessed the Phalps Road, Pirron Yallock, crash site on Thursday.
A temporary track is being laid around the crash site so the train can be lifted and moved.
Once the site was cleared, V/Line would repair the track, a spokeswoman said.
V/Line would also work with Bombadier Transportation to determine if the locomotive and carriages could be repaired.
A 41-year-old truck driver was admitted to hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries following crash.
Another 18 people were also taken to hospital with minor injuries.
It will take at least four days to clear the tracks, with trains replaced by buses until further notice.
The crash site is categorised as a "passive crossing" with no boom gates and flashing lights.
Upgrades to the level crossing were meant to be "fast-tracked" 17 months ago, but construction works were delayed as there was an issue getting power to the site.
The Victorian government says the installation of boom gates and signals at the level crossing will be completed by the end of the year.
Passenger Cheryl Scully, who was on the train returning home to Warnambool, remembers seeing the truck driver on the ground.
"I saw the driver laying just down below the window near the cattle grid there and that frightened the life out of me," she told Nine News on Thursday.
Ninety-nine passengers were on board the train, with two conductors and a driver.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau estimates an investigation will be completed within 12 months.
