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| Hoboken station crash: New Jersey train disaster 'kills one' | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| At least one person has been killed and dozens injured, some of them critically, after a commuter train crashed into a railway station in the US state of New Jersey. | |
| The train reportedly went through ticket barriers and into the reception area of Hoboken station. | The train reportedly went through ticket barriers and into the reception area of Hoboken station. |
| Images show extensive damage to the train carriages and station, with part of the building roof caved in. | Images show extensive damage to the train carriages and station, with part of the building roof caved in. |
| Witnesses described a scene of horror at the station. | |
| New Jersey Governor Chris Christie confirmed there had been one fatality. Earlier reports said three people had died. | |
| A huge emergency services operation swung into action following the crash, with firefighters and transport staff helping people from wrecked carriages. | |
| Follow latest updates | |
| In pictures: Hoboken train crash | |
| Hoboken is across the Hudson River from New York City. Many commuters use the busy station to travel into Manhattan. | Hoboken is across the Hudson River from New York City. Many commuters use the busy station to travel into Manhattan. |
| A spokeswoman for New Jersey Transit, Jennifer Nelson, told reporters that 20 ambulances had arrived at the scene to take the injured to hospital. | A spokeswoman for New Jersey Transit, Jennifer Nelson, told reporters that 20 ambulances had arrived at the scene to take the injured to hospital. |
| Ben Fairclough, a witness who was at the station, told the BBC: "I wasn't on the train, but I arrived just after it happened. There was water coming down off the roof and people climbing out through the windows. | Ben Fairclough, a witness who was at the station, told the BBC: "I wasn't on the train, but I arrived just after it happened. There was water coming down off the roof and people climbing out through the windows. |
| "There were people sitting down with blood coming from their head. There were lots of injuries." | "There were people sitting down with blood coming from their head. There were lots of injuries." |
| US rail safety | |
| 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, Congress extended the deadline to install PTC systems to 2018. | |
| None of the 440 trains on the New Jersey Transit rail line are equipped with PTC, nor have any employees been trained on the equipment. | |
| 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. | |
| 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. | |
| Commuter Mark Cardona described a "horror scene" at the station. | Commuter Mark Cardona described a "horror scene" at the station. |
| "I was on my way to work. I was halfway along the platform when I saw a runaway train coming at me. | "I was on my way to work. I was halfway along the platform when I saw a runaway train coming at me. |
| "It went full speed into and then through the building. | |
| "I froze. People were screaming... The ceiling started to collapse. I ran for my life." | "I froze. People were screaming... The ceiling started to collapse. I ran for my life." |
| New Jersey Transit posted on Twitter that the service out of Hoboken station had been suspended as a result of the crash. | New Jersey Transit posted on Twitter that the service out of Hoboken station had been suspended as a result of the crash. |
| Are you in the area? Have you been affected by this event? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Are you in the area? Have you been affected by this event? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |