Extreme weather had an impact on the train derailment in Aberdeenshire which left three people dead, Scotland's transport secretary has said.
Michael Matheson said an investigation into the accident would establish what lessons could be learned.
Driver Brett McCullough, conductor Donald Dinnie and a passenger died when the Aberdeen to Glasgow service derailed near Stonehaven on Wednesday.
The train is thought to have hit a landslide after rain and thunderstorms.
Six other people who were on board the 06:38 Aberdeen to Glasgow Queen Street service were taken to hospital, but their injuries were not believed to be serious.
Mr Matheson arrived at the site of the crash on Thursday morning.
He said: "What we don't want to do at this particular point is to start to speculate about what actually caused it.
"What I think we can assess, though, is that weather has had an impact.
"We are seeing increasingly a higher level of what are localised intense weather events that are having an impact on the transport network, including the rail network.
"What we need to do as part of the investigation is identify to what extent it had an impact and also to see what lessons can be learned."
He said some parts of the country had seen a month's rainfall in just a couple of hours on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
He said the derailment happened as the train driver was heading north, trying to return to Aberdeen.
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It has emerged that a member of the crew got out of the derailed train to stop any other trains further down the track.
Mr Matheson said recovery crews had worked through the night to stabilise the site and make it ready for investigators trying to understand how the crash happened.
Scotland's Lord Advocate has asked Police Scotland, British Transport Police and the Office of Rail and Road, the independent regulator, to conduct a joint investigation.
It will be carried out under the direction of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service
The investigation will in parallel to the independent safety investigation being carried out by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch.
Network Rail is to carry out detailed inspections of high-risk trackside slopes with similar characteristics to the site of the Aberdeenshire crash.
Dozens of sites across Britain will be assessed using in-house engineers, specialist contractors and helicopter surveys.
Kevin Lindsay, Scotland organiser for the train drivers' union Aslef, said the tragic accident had affected everyone in the railway family.
"Brett thought the world of his family, and his colleagues thought the world of him," he added.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the "hearts of a nation" were with those affected.
She said the location and the circumstances of the accident had "presented major logistical and practical challenges for a rescue and recovery operation".
"Our emergency services yet again showed their immense professionalism and dedication to duty and I am so very grateful to them for that," she said.
Network Rail boss Andrew Haines visited the scene of the crash after cutting short a family holiday in Italy.
He said: "Questions are inevitably being asked as to how this could happen and I am determined that we understand the circumstances that led to this devastating event.
"It's too early to draw conclusions but it is critical that we investigate thoroughly and with care, and work closely with rail safety authorities to make sure this can't happen again."
UK Transport Minister Grant Shapps is also visiting the scene of the incident.
He said he wanted to "try to understand the situation first hand and offer every possible assistance".
Speaking on the BBC's Good Morning Scotland radio programme, ScotRail's managing director Alex Hynes, said: "Yesterday was a devastating day for everybody who works in the rail industry in Scotland.
"Our love and support is sent to the victims of this accident and their families, those that were injured in the accident and anybody who was touched by yesterday's terrible tragedy."
A review of CCTV at stations where the train had stopped suggested there were nine people on the train, including crew, at the time of the accident.
Ch Supt Eddie Wylie, of British Transport Police, said he believed all passengers had been accounted for.
He added: "Once the area has been made safe then a full and thorough search will be conducted, which is likely to take some time.
"I know many people will understandably have questions and we will be working closely alongside the Rail Accident Investigation Branch and the Office of Rail and Road to establish the full circumstances of how the train came to derail."
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