Earlier this month, Metrolink and Amtrak Pacific Surfliner resumed service following OCTA’s emergency construction work to stop slope movement and stabilize the tracks in south San Clemente.
The work involved drilling large steel 130-foot-long ground anchors into the bedrock of the slope adjacent to the railroad track to prevent it from pushing the track further toward the ocean. The track had moved as much as 28 inches between September 2021 and September 2022 because of storm surge and sand erosion on the coastal side and the gradually sliding hillside on the other.
Passenger rail service, including Amtrak and Metrolink, was stopped in late September out of an abundance of caution and to allow for emergency repairs.
This short video, compiled with drone footage, captures the careful work that restored the tracks for safe passage for people, goods and services on this key stretch of California rail
OCTA is studying longer-term solutions to address threats to the coastal rail line.