With a possible NJ Transit strike looming later this week, engineers protested in front of the agency's headquarters on Wednesday in Newark.If the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and NJ Transit don't reach a new contract by 12:01 a.

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.

NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri said the two sides have had “constructive” meetings this week in Newark and in Washington D.C.

The penthouse views mentioned by union members refers to NJ Transit’s new offices at Gateway Center in Newark, leased for 25 years at a cost of $500 million. It has been a rallying point for union criticism that the agency has money to move from a building they own, but not to provide a competitive wage for engineers.

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

Beyonce fans might be better off riding a horse to next week’s “Cowboy Carter” concerts at MetLife Stadium if a strike shuts down NJ Transit rail service. NJ Transit’s train engineers could walk off the job as soon as Friday after Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers members voted to reject a tentative agreement between the leaders of the agency and the union.

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,