Buckling rails and lines underwater: how Australia’s ageing train networks are crumbling as the climate changes

A derailed train near Gympie in Queensland after flooding in February 2022. Bradley Kanaris / Getty Images

Last week’s torrential rain disrupted several Sydney train lines, in what is becoming a familiar story for commuters. Almost one in five trains in New South Wales ran late over the past year, and floods in May also saw a temporary closure of the North Coast line.

Other states are faring little better. In Queensland, the rail line from Brisbane to Cairns was shut for weeks due to floods in 2022.