The 54-year-old Canberra man, who worked out of Junee's train depot, was one of two men killed after an XPT derailed outside Melbourne last Thursday.

His family stated it was "hard to find the right words to describe the overwhelming sense of loss" they felt.

"To try and sum John up in a few words, would be a gross misrepresentation of how great a husband, father, grandfather, mate and bloke he was," the statement said.

"He would light up the room with his presence and left an everlasting impression on everyone."

The statement spoke of Mr Kennedy's "heart of gold" and "quirky personality".

"...nothing was too hard when it came to helping others," it said.

"His passion was trains, he showed this in his work ethic, passion and dedication to the railway.

"Joining the railway at the age of 14, his love for the rail never changed, if anything it just grew stronger."

Mr Kennedy's family remembered his other passions in life.

"John enjoyed travelling, cricket, fishing and a good billy tea, but the biggest love of all was his wife and his ever-growing family," the statement said.

"His family and his railway family have suffered a massive loss through this tragedy and he will be forever missed and never forgotten."