NJ Transit and an engineers’ union appear to be steaming ahead to the first major rail strike in decades starting early Friday, even as both sides convene in Washington, D.C., where they pledged to continue negotiations.

With a strike looming as soon as Friday, officials of NJ Transit and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers met with the National Mediation Board on Monday in Washington. No agreement was reached. NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri thanked the board for convening the meeting in a statement,

Metro-North Railroad customers with NY tickets for the Pascack, Port Jervis lines can ride the Harlem, Hudson lines for free starting Monday, May 12.

What happens if NJ Transit’s engineers go on strike next week? Some New Jersey towns aren’t willing to wait to find out. Metuchen is trying to gather enough support from commuters to launch a commuter bus route with charter bus company Boxcar.