Metrolink passenger trains are set to resume full service through San Clemente starting Monday, March 25, as work to build a 200-foot-long wall aimed at keeping landslide debris off the tracks nears completion.
The announcement comes following a nearly two-month halt in service due to a hillside that collapsed onto the popular pedestrian bridge at Mariposa Point along the beach town’s coastal path in late January. The bridge was damaged and dirt landed on the train tracks.
The emergency work to build the containment wall, which stands at about 20 feet tall, is expected to be finished this week, according to the Orange County Transportation Authority, which owns the track through San Clemente.
Amtrak Pacific Surfliner already started limited service in the area in the morning and evening hours earlier this month, and will also resume full service on Monday.
Freight trains have continued through the area most evenings, with occasional disruptions when storms threatened to dump debris back onto tracks.
Full passenger service is being restored ahead of the initial schedule because of expedited work made possible with “strong cooperation between the transportation agencies and the state, including the California State Transportation Agency,” according to the announcement.
While the wall is about complete, work continues to create a more comprehensive drainage system and trenching along the rail right-of-way, as well as working with the city of San Clemente to adjust a sewer access point. Additional tie replacement and track resurfacing is expected to finish this week, officials said.
There continues to be some minimal movement in parts of the hillside, but it has slowed to less than an inch daily, according to Scott Johnson, spokesman for Metrolink, which manages the right-of-way.
There’s no word yet on how long it will take to get the full length of the coastal trail fixed, San Clemente Mayor Victor Cabral said. The middle section of the pedestrian…
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