Dramatic pictures posted by commuters showed a train carriage that appeared to have smashed right through the station concourse, collapsing a section of the roof, scattering debris and wreckage and causing devastation.

Hoboken lies on the west bank of the Hudson River across from New York City. Its station, one of the busiest in the metropolitan area, is used by many commuters travelling into Manhattan from New Jersey and further afield.

ABC News said on its website that New Jersey's emergency management system was reporting more than 100 people were injured, and that New Jersey Transit was reporting multiple passengers were trapped.

Linda Albelli, 62, said she was sitting in her seat in one of the rear cars when the train approached the station.

"I noticed, 'he's not slowing up, we're going too fast,' and with that there was this tremendous crash," she said.

Injured passengers sat on benches in the train station while they waited for first responders, Albelli said. She did not know how many had been injured.

"There was just so much, a lot of people in need of attention," she said.