Also, 564 is cancelled from San Juan Capistrano to San Diego, not just Oceanside. The Pacific Surfliner Twitter account had been telling people it would be reopened last Saturday, then Wednesday, and then next Saturday - I suspect they misunderstood booking availability as meaning train service was resuming.
San Clemente landslide affects Pacific Surfliner 1/24/24
- Thread starter MIrailfan
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They should all be on city sewer
No drainage is the key issue along this entire section, pretty sure the city owned property above the Pier over watered and caused the collapse last time
The SP built snowsheds. How about building a mudshed? Cut into the bluff far enough to have a double track and raise the tracks. Then build a tunnel, or "box" over them. Then let the bluff advance to the ocean as it pleases, finishing the covering of the box. It'll be a short tunnel, but it's better than trying to relocate the tracks to a long tunnel inland.
jb
jb
that doesn't fix the fact that the ocean is going to take all the stand from under the rail alignment
its also slow and winding a bypass would allow 110-125mph top speeds
I did mention that the tracks would need to be raised. The box would extend over the tracks and down into the ocean, as a sea wall does. If the tracks were raised, say 10 feet, it should take care of things. And if it doesn't, then an actual tunnel could be installed there for complete coverage from top to bottom.
Of course, that obviously wouldn't do much for the curvy alignment, but it would still be cheaper and faster (in terms of construction) than waiting for an inland tunnel to be built.
jb
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The soils in the area might not support anything like that, plus it's really unlikely the California Coastal Commission would sign off on it. The Del Mar Bluffs are currently held together by concrete pylons driven into the ground and they only expect them to hold everything together until 2050. It's probably better and less lethal to build inland and straighten out the alignment as best as possible.
Adding on: building it ten feet higher than current in the same areas may not be enough depending on estimated sea level rise due to climate change, plus that would interfere with coastal access and views in some spots (which the California Coastal Commission would absolutely reject).
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Climate scientist Daniel Swain updated his blog about the two upcoming storms to hit California this week (through 2/9) here.
The first storm (tomorrow and Friday) isn't looking too bad except for potentially some (minor) flooding effects around San Diego. If the models verify - we're still a bit out from the short-term models painting a good picture - the second storm estimated to arrive from Feb. 4th-6th could be ugly for the region. Some ensemble models are suggesting 8+ inches of rain for LAX between now and the 9th, which is about two-thirds of normal for the entire year.
Anyone riding the Surfliner and/or Coast Starlight early next week should be prepared for delays and/or cancelations. I would also expect any repairs in San Clemente to be on hold from now through early next week, especially if they think the ground is still moving.
The first storm (tomorrow and Friday) isn't looking too bad except for potentially some (minor) flooding effects around San Diego. If the models verify - we're still a bit out from the short-term models painting a good picture - the second storm estimated to arrive from Feb. 4th-6th could be ugly for the region. Some ensemble models are suggesting 8+ inches of rain for LAX between now and the 9th, which is about two-thirds of normal for the entire year.
Anyone riding the Surfliner and/or Coast Starlight early next week should be prepared for delays and/or cancelations. I would also expect any repairs in San Clemente to be on hold from now through early next week, especially if they think the ground is still moving.
I am impressed with the almost daily updates that Metrolink has been publishing. This is unlike the previous closures where there was no sense of urgency and very few updates given on the progress to reopen.
Service Updates | Metrolink
However, I am disappointed that the current bus bridge is only for three trains in each direction. Previously it was five in each direction plus a bus for 794 LAX to SAN. Without the bridge for 765 and 794, the same-day connection for 11/14 to/from San Diego is broken.
Service Updates | Metrolink
However, I am disappointed that the current bus bridge is only for three trains in each direction. Previously it was five in each direction plus a bus for 794 LAX to SAN. Without the bridge for 765 and 794, the same-day connection for 11/14 to/from San Diego is broken.
Part of it has to be the fact that State Senator Blakespear is putting the screws down on OCTA.
Unless the state says they are going to give them money they are going to run only a handful of buses. From what I heard its 3 single level coach buses per train or about 150 seats replacing ~700
Regardless, it seems like the first train into LA and last train out of LA should be prioritized to get bus replacement service to preserve connections, but for some reason aren’t. Similar to in Michigan when they reduced Wolverine service to once daily during the pandemic, but they chose 352 and not 354 to be the one train, breaking a bunch of connections. Perhaps with the state calling the shots they’re going with the easiest operationally or highest ridership trips, and don’t really care about breaking LD connections…
The state isn't this is on the local JPA
Today's update wasn't great: 1.5 to 3 feet of soil movement in the area, plus at least two other places where the soil may be moving and impinging around the beach trail. They're going to give everything a look tomorrow.
I'm not surprised given the rain totals: 3-5 inches for the past three days, though San Onofre's gauge has reported 7.03" in the same timeframe. This week isn't looking great weather-wise for any work: the storm is still there (and hitting LA County as I type), it's turning convective, and the rain may finally clear out Friday or Saturday.
I did read they declared state of emergency to expedite repair funding.
https://metrolinktrains.com/rider-info/general-info/service-updates/
Looks like the same contractors who fixed 2 of the last closures will likely be doing the work
I assume we will see another wall like this built, ideally we'd see even more get constructed along the entire segment to protect the rail into the 2030s when we can finally get the bypass finished
Looks like the same contractors who fixed 2 of the last closures will likely be doing the work
I assume we will see another wall like this built, ideally we'd see even more get constructed along the entire segment to protect the rail into the 2030s when we can finally get the bypass finished
slasher-fun
Service Attendant
Well I hope for them that building a small wall twice a year isn't their only source of business 
Not really they aren't doing class 1 work 24/7 365 till the line is fixed they last time were working 7/12
As many years as this roadbed has been where it is, (some sources say over 100 years) have the cliffs eroded as much as they have in the last few years? Do the buildings located at or near the cliff edges have anything to do with the recent landslides? (At the rate the cliffs are eroding away, eventually there will be a wide gap between the cliff faces and the roadbed.)
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Many unhappy though, but I think its needed. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.co...-residents-unhappy-with-plan-for-train-tunnel
i think its time to work on bypassing this area with a new route.
i think its time to work on bypassing this area with a new route.
I don't understand why they are only updating the schedule with the bus bridge on a week-by-week basis. It now seems unlikely for passenger service to resume before the end of February, so why wait? They should have plenty of experience with this by now.
The Metrolink website is still the best source for the latest status. Interestingly, Amtrak's service alert has disappeared from their website.
The Metrolink website is still the best source for the latest status. Interestingly, Amtrak's service alert has disappeared from their website.
How is the Amtrak computer handling this week-by-week arrangement? Someone who purchased “train only” tickets from San Diego to LA before the bus bridge went into effect will need to have new tickets issued that show earlier departure times and the bus bridge segment. Last summer, there was no Business Class from San Diego to Oceanside, only between Irvine and Los Angeles. Those who purchased SAN-LAX Business Class tickets before the bus bridge went into effect are due a refund since they will not be getting Business Class accommodations for the full trip.
It is now Wednesday afternoon. The Amtrak website still shows full service resuming this Saturday. The Pacific Surfliner website still says that the temporary schedule is only through this Friday. But yet information on the Metrolink website doesn't look optimistic for passenger service to resume anytime soon.
Are they really planning to resume the full schedule, all ten round-trips, this Saturday? It's a holiday weekend and many people have Monday off. Not sure if everybody's aware of the cliff situation, but at this point if they reinstate the bus shuttles for next week, there will be a lot of disappointed people.
Are they really planning to resume the full schedule, all ten round-trips, this Saturday? It's a holiday weekend and many people have Monday off. Not sure if everybody's aware of the cliff situation, but at this point if they reinstate the bus shuttles for next week, there will be a lot of disappointed people.
The schedule I’m seeing starting Saturday on the Amtrak website is 7 trains/day in each direction, which is reduced compared to the usual 10. It shows the regular service resuming on March 5 (March 2-4 are impacted by pre-planned track work). Still not sure if I believe that with freight not being allowed to move at 10mph on Monday per Metrolink - maybe they’re just in the middle of editing schedule for those dates (it sometimes shows weird things then)..
