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Amtrak halts passenger service between Irvine and San Diego because of shifting tracks

The rail closure, caused by track safety concerns near San Clemente, is in place 'until further notice'

A cyclist waits for the Amtrak Surfliner to makes its way out of the station in San Juan Capistrano before crossing the tracks to the Los Rios Street Historic District as the early moring sun casts shadows on to the side of the train on Sunday, August 14, 2022. Amtrak has halted its passenger Pacific Surfliner trains between Irvine and San Diego because of safety concerns over the tracks near San Clemente. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A cyclist waits for the Amtrak Surfliner to makes its way out of the station in San Juan Capistrano before crossing the tracks to the Los Rios Street Historic District as the early moring sun casts shadows on to the side of the train on Sunday, August 14, 2022. Amtrak has halted its passenger Pacific Surfliner trains between Irvine and San Diego because of safety concerns over the tracks near San Clemente. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Kaitlyn Schallhorn is a city editor with the Orange County Register. She previously served as the editor in chief of The Missouri Times, overseeing print, television, and newsletter coverage of the State Capitol. Throughout her career, Kaitlyn has covered political campaigns across the U.S., including the 2016 presidential election, and humanitarian aid efforts in Africa and the Middle East. She studied journalism at Winthrop University in South Carolina.
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Amtrak has suspended its passenger rail service between Irvine and San Diego due to track safety concerns near San Clemente.

The suspension began on Friday, Sept. 30, and is in place “until further notice,” Amtrak said.

Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner passenger train includes stops at San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, Oceanside and Solana Beach in between Irvine and San Diego. Amtrak’s regular schedule shows 10 trains daily depart from Los Angeles to San Diego. Another 10 go from San Diego to Los Angeles daily.

Amtrak said it is working on setting up bus connections between Irvine and San Diego as well as a train service between Oceanside and San Diego by Oct. 3. Commuters should check its website and Twitter account (@PacSurfliners) for updated information.

Amtrak’s cancellation comes on the heels of Metrolink suspending service south of the Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo station because of shifting ground under the tracks in San Clemente.

Metrolink’s suspension impacts trains on the Orange County line as well as the Inland Empire-Orange County Line. Both suspensions of service are in place until further notice.

Earlier in September, a storm surge created high tides and waves that washed over and caused movement in a stretch of tracks south San Clemente that run along the shore.

A similar issue caused a closure last year, shuttering services for more than two weeks.

The Orange County Transportation Authority, which owns the tracks, will hold a special board meeting on Monday to discuss more substantive fixes for the erosion.

Staff writer Alicia Robinson contributed to this report.