Talks to avert LIRR strike end for the day Wednesday. More talks are set for Thursday.
Face to face meetings between the MTA and the LIRR unions that are poised to strike ended for the day at 2 p.m. Wednesday.
Additional meetings are set to resume Thursday morning.
The clock is ticking for both sides to agree by the Saturday morning deadline.
The MTA and unions met in Manhattan. The remaining sticking point remains wages in the fourth year of a contract.
The MTA says it has offered up to 4.5% with work rule concessions. The unions are pushing for 5%. They include electricians, locomotive engineers, signal inspectors, machinists and ticket clerks.
MTA officials say agreeing to those demands would require higher fares system-wide, including subways, buses and Metro North.
The railroad's locomotive engineers are among the highest paid in the nation.
Union representatives told CBS News New York's Carolyn Gusoff they are not looking for "games and gimmicks." They said they want wages that will keep up with inflation.
Mets planning shuttle buses in event of strike
There will be additional shuttles taking Mets and Yankees fans to Citi Field if the LIRR is shut down due to a strike.
The two teams are set to face off this weekend in the Subway Series. Meanwhile, the strike could start Saturday if the MTA and unions representing LIRR workers don't come to an agreement on contract negotiations.
Mets officials said more shuttles will be added to existing Long Island routes, and a new line will depart from the Manhasset LIRR Station.
Shuttle tickets are $8.99 per ticket for round-trip service or $25 for a family of four for the new route. The other routes are $8 round trip or $22 for a family of four.
Fans will automatically receive refunds if there is no strike and the shuttle service isn't needed.
Other routes on Long Island depart from Walt Whitman Shops and the Roosevelt Field Mall. There are also two routes from New Jersey and one in the Bronx.
Contingency plans for strike
Commuters are starting to think about an alternative plan if no deal is reached.
"I probably have to commute by car, have my wife drop me off, or come up with a situation. I don't even know," said David Sainphor.
"It is an inconvenience for us riders, but at the same time, I support that they need to get fair wages," said another man.
"I guess I would have to take the bus, but that's a whole complicated thing," a woman said.
The MTA is planning a limited shuttle bus service from Long Island Rail Road hubs to subway stations in Queens. But transit officials acknowledge there's no way buses can fully replace the rail system.
AAA spokesperson Rob Sinclair is warning of regional gridlock if service shuts down.
"You've got extra buses on the road and extra vehicles on the roads," he said. "It might take three or four hours to get where you need to go, especially if you're going into Manhattan."
