By Nick Toscano and Marissa Calligeros
The victims of Wednesday's fatal railway collision between a car and an express train have been identified as two women aged in their 70s.
A 71-year-old and a 73-year-old, both from Camberwell in Melbourne's east, were killed as their car was crushed beyond recognition at Surrey Hills station about 4pm.
Witnesses said the car appeared to have been halfway through Union Road level crossing before the boomgates came down around it.
The car was dragged underneath the train for about 100 metres, before being pushed against the platform.
An emergency worker inspects the crushed car at Surrey Hills station.Credit: Eddie Jim
Emergency crews pulled the women's bodies from the wreckage shortly after 6.30pm.
The mangled wreck of the car was wedged between the train and the platform for nearly three hours, as emergency crews worked frantically to reach the occupants. The train was reversed to reveal the car had been split in two.
Shocked onlookers gathered to watch the recovery operation unfold on Wednesday night, with numerous nearby residents describing the Union Road level crossing as a notorious cause of traffic snarls and frustration.
But the level crossing is not among the 50 slated to be removed under the Andrews government's $1.6 billion election promise.
The scene of the Surrey Hills smash.
Rail, Tram and Bus Union secretary Luba Grigorovitch said the removal of the Union Road level crossing "must be made a priority".
She also said train drivers had been urging Metro for years to introduce speed restrictions at the Union Road level crossing, but their concerns had been ignored.
The car wedged under the train on Wednesday afternoon. Credit: Eddie Jim
Ms Grigorovitch accused Metro of prioritising service punctuality over safety, and said "this is a prime example".
"The Rail Tram and Bus Union is calling on Metro to take these horrible fatalities seriously and enforce speed restrictions of 65km/h on this piece of track," she said.
"This would roughly halve the stopping distance and, in future, save a life."
There are two different speed limits going through the Union Road crossing - one track is 65km/h and the other is 80km/h, according to the union.
Drivers also say there is a "blind curve" approaching the crossing, and have reported feeling anxious as they pass through, due to the short distance and heavy traffic between Canterbury Road and the crossing.
The union and local residents said there had been another fatal accident at the same level crossing about 20 years ago
One of the 200 passengers on board the train involved in Wednesday's crash said she heard a "big loud bang", but did not realise the severity of what had happened until she stepped off the train and was confronted with the horrific scene.
A witness told Channel Seven he watched in horror as the car was struck by the train.
"The car was lifted in the air by the train and carried forward. It was full on," a visibly shaken Ben Jackson said.
"I looked up at the boomgates and I noticed there was a car slowly going through the crossing when the boomgates were down."
Train services have been suspended on the Belgrave and Lilydale lines between Camberwell and Box Hill and buses are replacing trains. Metro said services would remain suspended for several hours on Wednesday night "due to the severity of the accident".
Peak-hour commuters faced lengthy delays as they queued for buses from Camberwell station as a result.
Peak-hour commuters at Camberwell station heading to buses after the horror crash at Surrey Hills.Credit: Darren Gray
Union Road is closed to traffic from Canterbury Road to Mont Albert Road and motorists are being advised to avoid the area.
The train involved left Flinders Street Station at 3.28pm and was due to travel express from Camberwell to Box Hill.
Metro Trains chief engineer Phil Ellingworth said authorities would investigate whether signalling issues had been a factor.
The Metro network was crippled on Tuesday night, with four key lines suspended, after a power failure caused signalling problems.
Mr Ellingworth told 3AW that Metro would review CCTV footage at the level crossing and work with police to determine exactly what happened.
Police are urging anyone who may have witnessed the collision, or who may have information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.