Passenger rail service between the Oceanside and Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo stations was indefinitely suspended due to boulders and debris falling onto the tracks caused by a landslide damaging the Mariposa Trail Bridge in San Clemente, Metrolink announced, and it was uncertain Thursday when service would resume.
Orange County and Inland Empire-Orange County line trains were only operating as far south as the Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo Station on Thursday.
Metrolink did not say when the tracks will reopen or when rail service will resume and there will be no alternate transportation to or from either San Clemente or Oceanside.
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Metrolink track and engineering teams are working collaboratively with the Orange County Transportation Authority and San Clemente officials to ensure the right of way is safe, Metrolink announced.
The tracks are also used for Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner service which has also been suspended, Amtrak announced. Surfliner passengers are being offered bus connections between Irvine and Oceanside for alternative travel during the closure.
The following service modifications for Amtrak have been implemented:
Northbound
- Train 573 & 587 are cancelled in their entirety
- Train 761 is canceled between San Diego and Los Angeles
- Train 765 is cancelled between San Diego and Irvine
- Train 581, 591 & 595 are canceled between San Diego and Oceanside
- Trains 769, 777 & 785 will operate as a bus bridge between Oceanside and Irvine
Southbound
- Trains 572 & 586 are canceled in their entirety
- Train 562 is canceled between San Juan Capistrano and San Diego
- Train 564 is canceled between San Juan Capistrano and Oceanside
- Train 580 & 790 are cancelled between Oceanside and San Diego
- Train 794 is cancelled between Fullerton and San Diego
- Trains 770, 774 & 784 will operate as a bus bridge between Irvine and Oceanside
The damage caused by the landslide was reported at 4:26 p.m. Wednesday. The affected area is located approximately one-half mile north of Metrolink's San Clemente Pier Station, according to Metrolink.
It was unclear exactly when the slide occurred. Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley indicated the original landslide may have occurred roughly two weeks ago, forcing the closure of the Mariposa bridge just north of the pier.
"With less than one month into the new year, the railroad tracks in South County are already closed due to a landslide in San Clemente," Foley said in a statement. "Decades of climate change denial leaves Orange County behind in a race between us and Mother Earth. To protect our local economy and way of life, we cannot afford for these disruptive service suspensions to continue on a yearly basis. I remain committed to working with our partners to clean up and monitor this situation, but more importantly, find solutions for rail stability."
Local
The much-used tracks in San Clemente endured a pair of extended closures last year due to mudslides and debris. The first occurred in April 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, prompting another rail closure that lasted for nearly six weeks.
Repair crews at that time installed a temporary barrier in hopes of preventing debris from future erosion.
