After a landslide this month again closed San Clemente’s Mariposa Bridge to pedestrians and bicyclists, Amtrak and Metrolink suspended passenger rail services through the area Wednesday after another landslide caused boulders and debris to fall onto the tracks, officials said.
Rail services were suspended between the Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo and Oceanside stations as of late Wednesday afternoon, Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley said in a news release.
OC/IEOC Line Alert: Tracks are closed between San Juan Capistrano and Oceanside due to possible hillside sliding near San Clemente. Update to follow.
— MetrolinkIEOC (@MetrolinkIEOC) January 25, 2024
UPDATE: As of 5:58 PM PT, Due to an unforeseen track closure resulting from previous weather events, all train service between Irvine and Oceanside is temporarily suspended. A bus bridge will operate between those stations assisting affected customers. Updates to follow.
— Pacific Surfliner (@PacSurfliners) January 25, 2024
The closure also affected Metrolink service lines between Orange County and the Inland Empire. Individuals using Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner to travel between Los Angeles and San Diego could also face lengthy delays and potential cancellations, Amtrak said on social media.
“I remain committed to working with our partners to clean up and monitor this situation, but more importantly, find solutions for rail stability,” Foley said in a statement.
Representatives from Amtrak and Metrolink could not be immediately reached for comment. Details on when the tracks may reopen were not released.
Landslides in the area the past few years have caused the rail line to be closed intermittently because of track damage.
The closure of the Mariposa Bridge beach trail this month followed a closure in December.
For the safety of the public, the San Clemente Beach Trail Mariposa Bridge is currently closed while slope movement is being evaluated. The bridge will be reopened as soon as possible. We apologize for the inconvenience. pic.twitter.com/k3A8H0UxEz
— CityofSanClemente,CA (@CitySanClemente) January 17, 2024
