San Diegans can expect a full rail closure between Oceanside and San Diego this weekend, starting at midnight, for regular maintenance and infrastructure improvements.
Weekend closures like these, known as Absolute Work Windows, provide construction crews the opportunity to work safely and unimpeded on and along the rail line to perform improvements and maintenance work.
This closure will affect rail services operating on the San Diego segment of the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo Rail Corridor, including North County Transit District and the freight carrier BNSF.
During the closure, San Diego Association of Governments crews will distribute and grade ballast rocks along the El Portal undercrossing bridge in Encinitas. This operation will be done to install regulatory-compliant walkways for railroad personnel on both sides of the bridge.
NCTD and other agencies will work on separate routine construction along other stretches of the LOSSAN corridor.
Nearby residents and businesses can expect intermittent noise from loading materials and equipment back-up alarms during construction. Traffic control, including flagging, will be in place at the Leucadia Boulevard rail crossing during the placement and removal of equipment. Minor pedestrian flagging will occur at the undercrossing when the ballast is unloaded near the bridge.
Rail service between the San Diego County cities will resume Monday morning. Passengers should note that trains may be delayed up to fifteen minutes on Monday.
Coastal rail service remains suspended north of the North County Transit District service area. Metrolink suspended Orange County Line and Inland Empire-Orange County Line service south of the Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo Station and Amtrak Pacific Surfliner trains will not operate between Irvine and San Diego.
