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Metrolink cancels service to Oceanside next week as south OC braces for high tides
Metrolink’s Orange County service between the Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo and Oceanside stations will be temporarily suspended starting Monday, Oct. 26, through Friday, Oct. 30, due to high tide forecasts.
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Photo Courtesy of OC Transportation Authority.
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Topline:
Metrolink’s Orange County service between the Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo and Oceanside stations will be temporarily suspended next week, starting Monday, Oct. 26, through Friday, Oct. 30.
What lines will run? Orange County Line trains will operate only between L.A. Union Station and the Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo Station. According to Metrolink, alternate transportation such as buses will not be available.
Why now? A coastal flood warning is in effect for the entire Orange and San Diego coastline Sunday through Thursday. “Astronomical” high tides could create significant coastal flooding starting Sunday, according to the National Weather Service. Morning high tides could reach nearly 7 feet Saturday morning and are likely to exceed 7.5 or 8 feet by Monday.
Officials said: “The temporary service adjustment is intended to minimize the potential for widespread delays and cancellations if coastal conditions disrupt rail operations,” Metrolink officials wrote in an announcement Thursday. “This shift will also reduce competing rail traffic and shorten potential weather-related delays for other carriers, including Amtrak Pacific Surfliner and freight trains, that operate along the beachfront corridor near San Clemente.”
Background: The service suspension is along the troubled rail corridor from South Orange County to the San Diego County line. Erosion and landslides along the coastal rail have caused disruptions since 2021.
Dig deeper … The OC Transit Authority is in the middle of creating its 30-year plan for the coastal rail.
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