Many weekend riders who rely on Metrolink service will need to make alternate travel plans later this month as the passenger rail system will completely suspend service on nearly half of its long-distance lines.
Beginning Saturday, Oct. 25, Metrolink and San Diego’s North County Transit District will work to complete “multiple track projects” between San Diego and Ventura counties.
The completion of the projects will necessitate the full weekend closure of Metrolink’s Ventura County, Orange County and Inland Empire-OC lines, three of Metrolink’s seven long-distance lines.
Alternate transportation will not be directly available for Metrolink during the closure.
Because of the vast area where work is taking place, both the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner and North County Transit will also be affected, officials said. There will be no Surfliner service from San Luis Obispo to San Diego as part of the closure. Amtrak will not have bus bridges provided for riders, but its Thruway Bus routes will continue to operate.
The closure, according to Amtrak, is part of a “coordinated effort” between railroads that operate along the LOSSAN corridor between San Luis Obispo and San Diego, including Metrolink and NCTD and Union Pacific freight rail.
During the closure, crews will attempt to advance “critical track infrastructure projects,” which include:
- Santa Barbara: Track bed and crossing work
- Ventura: Track work and switch upgrades
- Orange County: Track bed, crossing, and signal work, power pole replacements, as well as construction activities in support of the Orange County Coastal Rail Resiliency improvements
- San Diego: Del Mar Bluff stabilization, capacity enhancements, and signal work.
Officials said work will take place simultaneously at various location to reduce future track closures and minimize impact to passengers.
Metrolink expects that the work will be completed Sunday, Oct. 26, with normal weekday service resuming the following day.
“We apologize that necessary infrastructure enhancements sometimes result in track closures that we know may be inconvenient for our riders,” Metrolink said in a statement.
Metrolink’s Antelope Valley, Riverside and San Bernardino lines will be unaffected by the closures, although they could experience an increase in riders. Metrolink Arrow, which connects downtown San Bernardino to the University of Redlands campus, operates in its own right-of-way and will not be affected.