NJ Transit engineers will go on strike on Friday at midnight, halting much of the state’s rail service until a deal is reached. More than 150,000 people

As late as Wednesday night, the two sides were expressing some optimism for a settlement. Since then, radio silence.

Engineers at New Jersey Transit are poised to go on strike one minute after midnight Friday morning, a stoppage that would create huge problems for100,000 daily train commuters, businesses across the New York metropolitan area as well as fans of Shakira and Beyoncé,