The MTA is preparing a contingency plan if Amtrak employees go on strike at the end of the month.

A work stoppage would cripple commuters on the Long Island Railroad and New Jersey Transit, because the lines share Amtrak’s rails.

The Long Island Rail Road is planning to drop off its customers in Queens and Brooklyn, where they could then take subways to Manhattan. East bound trains would also depart from designated stops in the two boroughs.

Transfers would cease at the busy Jamaica station, where a special "P" train would shuttle commuters to Herald Square.

"One of the things we have to be very cautious about is that people don't view Jamaica as a substitute for Penn Station,” said LIRR President Helena Williams. “We don't want customers either in the a.m. or in the p.m. rush converging on Jamaica and expecting to find a train either into the city or back home."

More then half of New Jersey Transits 740 weekday trains would be cancelled by a strike.

Metro North trains which cover upstate and Connecticut wouldn't be affected because the MTA owns those tracks.

Amtrak is planning to resume talks with its nine unions next week. A walkout could happen as early as January 30th.