Possible strike of rail workers in the United States 1:21
Washington (CNN) --
America's commuter rail service will face major disruption Friday if a freight train strike isn't averted.
Many passenger rail services operate on tracks owned by freight railroads.
Without freight employees available to operate their networks, US rail travelers will not be able to make their trips.
Some rail operators have already warned customers about service interruptions.
Amtrak faces the biggest hit as it typically only owns tracks between Boston and Washington, but regional and local rail services will also be affected.
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Metra, which operates 11 commuter rail lines in the Chicago area, warned customers in a statement Tuesday that "a potential work stoppage by freight rail workers" could "directly affect" their "ability to operate." most of their services.
“We want you to be aware of this issue so you can make alternate travel plans in the event of a work stoppage,” Metra told customers.
Metra's 11 rail lines carried an average of 36 million passengers annually between 2019 and 2021, but only two of those lines are wholly owned by Metra and would remain in operation amid a freight strike, according to spokeswoman Meg Reile.
She said Metra was in talks with the railroads to see if an additional line could remain active if Metra takes over responsibility for controlling traffic on the tracks, a duty currently carried by a freight railroad.
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"It's all up in the air," Reile said.
"We still don't have clear answers."
The San Joaquin Regional Railroad Commission, which operates the Altamont Commuter Express in California almost entirely on the Union Pacific Railroad tracks between Stockton and San Jose, expects to reduce service Thursday and suspend service entirely Friday.
"As you can imagine, we are watching the situation very closely," its marketing manager, David Lipari, told CNN Business.
The Maryland Transportation Authority, which operates the MARC train on CSX tracks with about 250,000 monthly riders in the Baltimore-Washington area, warned riders Monday afternoon that its Camden and Brunswick lines will be suspended until solve the possible strike.
Agency passenger buses will honor MARC tickets during the service interruption.
Its Penn Line will remain active as the tracks are owned by Amtrak.
Many parties are hoping that a strike will be avoided.
The White House has pushed for a resolution.
Freight railroads contacted for comment declined to detail steps they can take to allow passenger operators to remain in service.
There are some passenger train exceptions that will not be affected by the strike.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates New York's Metro-North Railroad and Long Island Rail Road, which have carried about 146,000 passengers a day this month, doesn't expect any impact.
It has its own staff that operate the trains and owns most of the tracks that the lines operate on.
But others are not as well positioned for an attack.
BNSF Freight Railroad operates Sound Transit's Sounder trains in Washington state.
Sound Transit spokesman David Jackson said his agency is looking at options to help customers if there is no service.
BNSF said in an emailed statement that it would work with agencies to avoid disruptions and minimize impacts, but declined to provide details on how it is doing so.