‘Significant’ movement still happening at landslide in San Clemente; train service remains affected

Work to stabilize a slipping slope continued over the weekend and on Monday, Jan. 29, but “significant soil movement” continues on the hillside, according to Metrolink spokesman Scott Johnson.

“Despite the extensive efforts of Metrolink’s track department, along with the grading and excavating contractor, significant soil movement continues on the hillside above the San Clemente right-of-way near the Mariposa pedestrian bridge,” he said in an email Monday morning.

The landslide last week was the latest in a series of slope failures in recent years that have halted rail service along the coastal line.

Two segments of the Mariposa Bridge damaged from the most recent landslide in San Clemente have been removed and there’s no word on how long it will take to replace the damaged bridge, which is part of a popular pedestrian trail that runs along the coastline.

Saturday night, three BNSF trains traveled through the area following inspections at restricted speed, but due to the unstable condition of the hillside, no freight train passed through Sunday evening, Johnson said.

The construction and project team, including geological technicians, resumed grading and excavating efforts at 6:30 a.m. Monday in an effort to stabilize the hillside slope.

“At this point, there is still no definitive timeline as to when train movement can safely resume through the area,” he noted.

Metrolink service on Monday resumed operating only as far south as the Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo Station after providing service to and from San Juan Capistrano over the weekend.

The slope failure that occurred Wednesday, Jan. 24, marks the fifth service interruption in three years along this stretch due to landslides, according to the Orange County Transportation Authority, which owns the tracks through Orange County.

Customers are being updated on the service levels through social media, station electronic message boards and train conductors. For real-time service updates, visit metrolinktrains.com or follow MetrolinkOC or MetrolinkIEOC on Twitter (X).