Amtrak service to resume in OC after cliffside erosion forced suspension of rail operations

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. (CNS) -- Limited Amtrak service will resume Wednesday in Orange County through San Clemente, where cliffside erosion has forced multiple shutdowns of rail operations since last year.

Metrolink service, however, is not yet ready to resume through the area.

Construction crews have been building a catchment wall at Mariposa Point to keep debris from rolling onto the tracks.

Amtrak Pacific Surfliner trains will pass through the area without stopping or relying on bus connections. Morning trains will pass through San Clemente between 7 and 8 a.m. with evening trains passing through between 6 and 7 p.m.

Midday rail service, however, will not be offered so construction crews can continue shoring up the wall. Bus connections between Irvine and Oceanside will be available for trains 769, 770, 774, 777, 785, and 790 to detour commuters through the construction area.

Construction crews expect to complete the wall later this month.

Meanwhile, Metrolink will continue taking passengers as far south as the Laguna Niguel-Mission Viejo Station, while weekend Orange County Line and Inland Empire-Orange County Line trains will only go as far south as San Juan Capistrano.

Amtrak and Metrolink rail service through San Clemente has been forced to stop because of an eroding hillside pushing toward the tracks.

A landslide on private property above the city-owned Mariposa Trail Pedestrian Bridge led to debris on the tracks on Jan. 24, halting all rail service. Some slow-speed freight trains have been moving through the affected section at night in recent weeks while shoring operations continued.