Sydney Trains in Chaos: Power Outage Causes Mass Delays

Sydney's Train Network Faces Widespread Disruptions After Overhead Wire Incident Sydney, Australia – Train services in Sydney experienced major disruptions on May 20th, 2025, following an incident involving a live overhead wire that fell onto a train around 2:30 pm. The incident caused significant delays and prompted authorities to urge commuters to avoid using the train network unless absolutely necessary. The incident occurred during peak hour, leaving hundreds of commuters stranded and causing widespread chaos across the city's busiest suburban rail line. Passengers were trapped on board the affected train until power could be restored. The line heading west from Strathfield remained completely closed for an extended period. Sam Payne, reporting for 7NEWS, described the scene at Strathfield station: "Here in Strathfield, the line heading west is still completely closed. The power is out, but heading towards the city, there are trains going, causing... the people are turning up, they're arriving, waiting for buses." He further noted the extensive lines of people waiting for buses, estimating more than 100 people at one bus stop alone. NSW Transport Minister John Graham addressed the situation, stating, "Very frustrating. We're still working through to clear this line finally, to be able to allow trains to run through. That has meant big disruptions to the network. We are advising people not to use the train network this morning." He also noted that shuttle services were running on each of the lines to help alleviate the situation. The incident highlights the vulnerability of Sydney's train network and the significant impact even a single incident can have on commuters' daily lives. Authorities are working to restore full service as quickly as possible.