Surfliner to resume limited service after railroad tracks in San Clemente deemed safe

After months of repairs, the LOSSAN rail corridor heading through San Clemente is set to reopen for limited services after the ground underneath the railroad tracks was considerably impacted by high tide and heavy rains back in September. 

The coastal erosion caused a complete stop of all services that traveled through the area, affecting Amtrak and Metrolink rail operations as crews worked to stabilize the ground underneath the tracks. 

On Monday, Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley released a statement indicating that the tracks had been repaired to the point that limited services could begin again. 

"Metrolink and the Los Angeles - San Diego - San Luis Obispo Rail Corridor Agency, which oversees the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner service, plans to restore weekend service between Orange County and San Diego County the weekend of February 4 and 5, 2023," the statement said. "Railroad stabilization efforts will continue throughout the week with completion expected in mid-March."

The service normally operates on a much higher scale, with more than 150 passenger trains and more than 70 freight trains utilizing the corridor daily, making it the second busiest intercity passenger rail corridor in the country. 

"Now that the railroad tracks are deemed safe for passenger service, it is time we seriously consider investing in science-based solutions to prevent these issues from inevitably happening again," Foley said. "Past railroad stabilization efforts have proven building ground anchors and depending on sandbags and rip rap are the best temporary fixes. Long-term solutions require leadership to implement them."

Prior to September, the rail was also closed in for several weeks in 2021 for similar reasons. 

"We must take an aggressive approach to end coastal erosion if we want to protect our coastline, our homes, our local economy, and our national security," Foley said in the statement. "As County Supervisor and OCTA Board member, I will prioritize using all the tools at my disposal to work with the scientific community and my colleagues across all levels of government on a permanent solution to protect our Orange County way of life."

It was still unclear exactly when all operations would continue in the area.