Following months of on-and-off closures following numerous landslides that have halted ocean-front rail service, Metrolink and Pacific Surfliner are expected to resume service through San Clemente to and from San Diego on Monday, July 17.
Emergency work the past month to build a temporary barrier wall to protect the tracks following landslides at Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens has been completed, according to a news alert.
The wall is 250 feet long and 12 feet high with the piles set 32 feet beneath the ground, according to rail agencies.
“Rail service has been suspended more days this year than not — our coastal economy relies on visitors, commuters and tourists to support our local businesses,” said OC Supervisor Katrina Foley, who serves as an Orange County Transportation Authority director. “Orange County transit is back on track thanks to the OCTA staff, California Transportation Commission, Metrolink, Amtrak Pacific Surfliner and the expedient efforts of our partners to build the soldier pile wall and protect our rail corridor.”
An initial halt to passenger rail service began on April 27 when the slope behind Casa Romantica began to slide. Service temporarily resumed in late May but was halted again on June 5, when significant additional sliding occurred.
Metrolink and OCTA worked in partnership to build the temporary barrier wall on an emergency basis to protect the tracks. The city of San Clemente is continuing work to stabilize the hillside for the long term.
A separate $13.7 million project in the works on the other end of town since October halted service for months until earlier this year. The tracks shifted along about 700 feet of rail, pinched between a collapsing hillside and waves on the ocean side battering the tracks near homes in the Cyprus Shore Homeowners Association.
That project to stabilize the hillside is also nearing completion and not affecting train service at this time.
OCTA in March voted to spend millions to study short and long-term solutions for the 7-mile stretch of train tracks through Dana Point and San Clemente that run right along the shore.
Metrolink and Amtrak both use the rail line for service from the Los Angeles and Inland Empire areas to San Diego, and it is also a key route for freight trains.
Metrolink and Amtrak customers can find alerts and updates on their respective websites.