Work crews begin emergency repairs on the railroad tracks near San Clemente. Photo courtesy of Work crews LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency.

By SDCN Staff

Orange, CA–The Los Angeles, San Diego, San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency, which manages the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner service, has temporarily suspended service south of Irvine until further notice for emergency track repairs due to coastal erosion in San Clemente, officials said.  

Consultations with geologists, geotechnical engineers, and surveyors revealed that there may be a safety concern along a portion of the track in the San Clemente area. The LOSSAN Agency made the decision to immediately stop service to ensure passenger and crew safety. 

During the closure, the San Clemente Pier and San Juan Capistrano stations will remain closed while the Orange County Transportation Authority, which owns that portion of the track, conducts emergency maintenance to stabilize the right-of-way. 

“Passenger and crew safety is our top priority, and we are doing our best to minimize disruptions to travelers to and from San Diego,” said Jason Jewell, Interim Managing Director of the LOSSAN Agency. “We are working with our partners to restore service between Oceanside and San Diego as well as set up bus bridges between Irvine and Oceanside as quickly as possible.”

The Pacific Surfliner travels along a 351-mile coastal rail route through San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, serving 29 stations. It is the busiest state-supported intercity passenger rail route in the United States.

Updated schedules and passenger information will be provided on the Pacific Surfliner website at PacificSurfliner.com/alerts and Twitter (@PacSurfliners as they become available.