Both the CEO of NJ Transit and the leader of the union representing hundreds of locomotive engineers expressed optimism Wednesday evening about reaching a deal to avoid a potential rail strike before 12:01 a.

NJ Transit engineers are preparing to walk off the job on Friday, which could affect 350,000 commuters in New Jersey and New York City.

NJ Transit and an engineers’ union appear to be heading toward a major rail strike that would start Friday — the first one in decades. Currently, both sides are in Washington, D.C. participating in mediation,

Governor Phil Murphy said Wednesday night that he's "hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst" regarding a possible NJ Transit rail strike.

Earlier in the day, their union met with NJ Transit to continue negotiations on a new contract to avoid a possible Friday strike. CBS News New York's Lisa Rozner reports.

NJ Transit is already preparing for the walkout by urging as many people as possible to start working from home.

NJ Transit is preparing for a possible strike as pay negotiations with the union representing its engineers hit another roadblock.

NJ Transit and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) are meeting in Washington today to resume the tense negotiations. The union’s members overwhelmingly rejected the first deal in April, and both sides are reportedly far apart on wages.