Train crashes into New Jersey station

While the US sees its fair share of deadly freight train crashes and derailments, this is the first deadly passenger train crash for five months.

• April 2016; Chester, Pennsylvania: two die and 31 injured as a train collides with a digger
• May 2015; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: a train travelling between Washington DC and New York City derails - eight people die and 200 of the 243 people on board are injured
• February 2015; Oxnard, California: passenger train hits vehicle on the tracks - the train driver dies and 29 people are injured
• February 2015; Valhalla, New York: passenger train hits a car in suburban New York City, killing six train passengers

In a press briefing just now, Bella Dinh-Zarr, vice-chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, said investigators were on their way to New Jersey.

She was asked if they would be looking at whether the lack of Positive Train Control - a digital system that can stop or slow trains if danger is detected - was a factor.

"PTC is one of our priorities - we know it can prevent accidents," she said." She said teams would "definitely" be looking into whether the lack of PTC in New Jersey was a factor in this crash. (You can read more about PTC in our main story here).

She also said investigators would also be looking whether there were any similarities between this crash and one at the same station in 2011 that injured 34 people.

The train crashed into Hoboken station during the morning rush hour. Mark Cardona was on the platform, he says he had "zero chance to react".

The train was travelling on the Pascack Valley Line between Spring Valley and Hoboken.

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Jersey City Medical Center officials said they were treating 51 patients with a range of injuries.

Three people were in critical condition and 11 others sustained more serious injuries, according to Dr. Ken Garay, chief medical officer of the hospital. 

Relatives can call 201-915-2691 to see if family members are at the Jersey City Medical Center. 

Local US media have reported the train driver survived the crash. 

The reports have yet to be confirmed.

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We've put together a compilation of what the witnesses to the Hoboken crash saw - you can read their stories here.

Helicopters struggled to get to the scene immediately after the crash due to high winds, according to CBS News.

Speaking to CNN in the past few minutes, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie confirmed there was one fatality, adding: "The one thing we do know is that obviously that it was travelling at a fairly high rate of speed." The driver of the train was being treated in hospital, he said, and would be questioned.

In 2008 the US Congress passed a law requiring all trains to install Positive Train Control (PTC) systems by the end of 2015.

But most rail companies were unable to meet the deadline as the system is expensive and complex to install. Some rail lines - including New Jersey Transit - threatened to shut down completely if it was enforced. In response, Congressextended the deadline to install PTC systems to 2018.

None of the 440 trains on the New Jersey Transit rail line is equipped with PTC, nor have any employees been trained on the equipment.

What are Positive Train Control Systems?

PTC safety systems are designed to automatically override the actions of train engineers if the locomotive is travelling too fast. In effect, they act as a safeguard against "human error" which could cause derailments or collisions.

Watch how PTC works

The system uses wifi, GPS and a specific coding system to relay real-time information from trains to control centres.

Last year, the Guardian reported that US trains were far behind those in Europe, which have had automatic safety systems for years.

At a press conference in the past few minutes, Joseph Scott, of the Jersey City Medical Center, said some 40 walking wounded had been treated at the hospital - up to 11 other people were receiving more urgent treatment, with "some critical, some serious", although none are in a life-threatening condition.

Other hospitals apart from the Jersey City Medical Center are treating patients.

Witness Ben Fairclough tells the BBC some people appeared to be unconscious and bleeding. 

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• The station, officially known as the Erie-Lackawanna terminal, opened in 1907
• The two-storey building was designed by the same architect behind New York's original Pennsylvania Station
• It is listed on the New Jersey and National Register of Historic Places
• The terminal was badly damaged by flood water during Hurricane Sandy in October 2013 and underwent three months of renovations

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Hoboken is located on the west bank of the Hudson River across from New York City.

The station is considered one of the busiest in the metropolitan area.