After two months of closure, passenger rail service between Orange County and San Diego resumed Monday on both Metrolink and Amtrak lines.
The tracks were closed on Jan. 24 due to a landslide. Workers have been building a 200-foot-long retaining wall to protect the tracks from additional falling debris.
Closer look
The railroad tracks in the San Clemente area endured a pair of extended closures last year due to mudslides and debris. The first occurred in April, 2023, near the Casa Romantica Culture Center and Gardens, blocking the tracks for a month while repairs were completed. Another mudslide occurred in the same general area on June 5, 2023, prompting another rail closure that lasted for nearly six weeks.
Looking ahead
The restoration of services since January's landslide was made ahead of schedule, according to a joint statement from transportation agencies Los Angeles–San Diego–San Luis Obispo Rail Corridor Agency (LOSSAN), Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) and Metrolink.
“This is actually the fifth service interruption along that San Clemente corridor. This wall and the amount of work that has gone into this project really is a short-term remedy," Metrolink spokesperson Scott Johnson said. "The Orange County Transportation Authority, along with local and state officials, continue to look toward both midterm and long-term solutions.”
The pause in services has disrupted travel for some passengers. For Juan Cornejo, it's been weeks since he's been able to catch a train to San Diego. He’s from Fullerton and loves to come down to visit downtown, the Gaslamp District and Old Town.
“I love going to San Diego at least once or twice every month,” Cornejo said.
In recent weeks while shoring operations continued, some slow-speed freight trains were able to move through the affected area at night.
Earlier this month, Amtrak began offering limited passenger service in the early mornings and late evenings.
Information on train schedules is available at metrolinktrains.com and at pacificsurfliner.com/alerts.
