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.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has put out a contingency plan in the event of a New Jersey Transit rail strike next week. The agency says that PATH service will operate on a normal schedule on weekdays, but they will add service when necessary to minimize crowds. Additional PATH staff will be available to help passengers navigate.

Here's where displaced riders can catch a bus from Boxcar, a privately owned shuttle company, which intends to compensate for demand from travelers through added services.

The National Mediation Board has called representatives for NJ Transit and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers to a meeting Monday in Washington, D.C., as New Jersey sits on the brink of its first major rail strike in four decades.

Three top Republican candidates for New Jersey governor participated in a fiery debate Wednesday.The contenders sparred on hot-button issues, including immigration, affordability, fixing NJ Transit and the recent problems at Newark Liberty International Airport in a debate hosted by NJ PBS and WNYC.

NJ Transit reaches a tentative four year contract with its largest union representing thousands of bus drivers and mechanics.