Sydney - A 77-year-old motorist who thought a passenger train would give way for her at a level crossing in Outback Australia was disabused when the venerable Ghan luxury locomotive shunted her car aside near Alice Springs on Thursday.

"She slowed for the train to give way but she actually thought the train was slowing for her, so she proceeded to cross the track and unfortunately the train clipped the front of her vehicle," Northern Territory Police Constable Michael Valladares told national broadcaster ABC. "Luckily she didn't receive any injuries and none of the passengers on the train were injured either."

The Ghan, which was not damaged, runs the 2,900 kilometres between Adelaide on the south coast and Darwin on the north coast. (dpa)