Last Wednesday’s landslide brought trains to a halt and damaged the Mariposa Trail Bridge in San Clemente.
Despite ongoing efforts to clear the boulders and debris, passenger rail service was still closed between San Juan Capistrano and Oceanside as of Jan. 30.
“Unfortunately hillside movement continues to be observable,” Metrolink spokesperson Scott Johnson said.
He said Metrolink passengers traveling between San Diego and Orange County should make alternate travel arrangements until service is restored.
Amtrak Pacific Surfliner service is also affected by the railroad track closure. They're offering bus bridges between Irvine and Oceanside to get passengers around the closure.
“At this moment passenger rail service is still not available, even though at night freight train movement is occurring — largely because in the evening time, all of that construction equipment is not along the right of way,” Johnson said.
Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) owns the tracks. The agency said it is working with Metrolink to safely restore passenger rail service as quickly as possible.
OCTA’s news release also said this suspension of service on the rail line is the fifth service interruption in the past three years.
“Over the past three years, San Clemente’s eroding bluffs — on both city and private property — have repeatedly forced the closure of the rail line which has operated largely uninterrupted for more than 125 years,” the news release said.
Meteorologists said the storms expected later this week could be powerful enough to cause more flooding in the Southern California region.
Johnson said that could further affect reopening plans, but they’re preparing.
“The project team is certainly aware of the impending rains. As a part of the grading and excavating of dirt along the hillside, tarping is taking place as well to protect the work that’s already been accomplished,” he said.
Johnson said there’s still no clear timeline when passenger rail service will resume through San Clemente.
