Strike promises a mad scramble

Officials are predicting a mad scramble on the roads, highwaysand rails during tomorrow's rush hour if a rail strike cripples sevenof the city's 11 commuter lines late tonight.

Three Chicago & North Western lines, the Burlington Northern,the Norfolk Southern, the Heritage Corridor and the South Shore couldshut down after 11 p.m. unless a last-minute agreement is reached toavoid a nationwide strike by railroad freight workers.

The freight strike will affect commuter lines because freightand commuter service are too intermingled to be operated separately,railroad officials said. Another reason to stop commuter service,the railroads say, is concern over passenger …