USA's largest commuter rail line, the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), is halting services for the first time in over 30 years due to a strike.

Around 3,500 employees – engineers, electricians and signal workers – have gone on strike since employers and trade unions failed to agree on new wages. Several months of negotiations ended on Friday evening, according to trade union representatives.

The LIRR trains – run by the state-owned Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) – are crucial for the commutes of tens of thousands of people who live on Long Island but work in Manhattan. They are also popular for travelling to the beaches on Long Island.

On a normal weekday, LIRR trains carry around 300,000 passengers.

MTA will put in extra buses to handle parts of the traffic.

That was then: LIRR trains are lined up due to a strike in June 1994. Since then, the trains have not been affected by any strike-induced stoppages – until now.

Source: DI-TT.SE