An Amtrak Pacific Surfliner shuttle — operating between Oceanside and San Diego during a line closure in San Clemente, Calif. — passes a worksite for stabilizing the Del Mar Bluffs on May 7, 2025. Continuing work at Del Mar is one of the projects that will lead to widespread suspension of passenger operations in Southern California Oct. 25-26. David Lassen
LOS ANGELES — Major disruptions to rail service in Southern California are slated for the weekend of Oct. 25-26, when Union Pacific, Metrolink, and the North County Transit District will conduct major track projects, shutting down three Metrolink lines, NCTD Coaster service, and Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner and Coast Starlight.
Near San Diego, Coaster operations will be halted both days for the ongoing Del Mar Bluffs stabilization project [see “Work to begin on Del Mar Bluffs stabilization,” Trains.com, March 19, 2024]. That is also part of the disruption for the Surfliner; the Surfliner service, which will suspend all service between San Diego and San Luis Obispo, Calif., says in a travel advisory that track, crossing, and switch work are also planned in the Santa Barbara and Ventura areas, while Orange County will see track, crossing, signal, and power pole work, along with the ongoing Orange County Coastal Rail Resiliency project to address slides and other erosion near San Clemente [see “Coastal Commission approves permit …,” Trains.com, April 16, 2025].
The work in Orange and Ventura counties will also lead to suspension of operations on three of Metrolink’s seven routes, the Ventura County, Orange County, and Inland Empire-Orange County lines. A Metrolink advisory says no alternate transportation will be provided, and apologizes that “necessary infrastructure enhancements sometimes result in track closures that may be inconvenient for our riders.”
Amtrak’s website currently does not show any advisory for Coast Starlight service because of the trackwork, but the only travel offered on those dates between Los Angeles and Emeryville, Calif., involves a bus connection to San Joaquins service between Bakersfield and Emeryville. The Starlight is listed as operating normally between Emeryville and Seattle.