Disasters · Coastal rail precautionsOrange County rail suspension: No replacement buses Oct. 26–30Aired October 25, 2026 at 2:41 AM UTCWritten October 25, 2026 at 2:47 AM UTCRead the write-upThis storyTranscript · LOADING0:07Metrolink riders bound for Oceanside will lose five weekdays of trains with no0:12replacement buses.0:13The Orange County line will turn back at Laguna Nigel Mission Viejo, leaving0:17passengers to arrange the rest of their journey.0:19What will keep running, and how dependable are the alternatives while high tides0:23threaten the coastal tracks?0:24Trains will still run between Los Angeles Union Station and Laguna Nigel, Mission0:29Viejo.0:30That station stays open as the line's southern endpoint.0:33Metrolink will suspend the Orange County line segment beyond it to Oceanside,0:37starting Monday, October 26th through Friday, October 30.0:40Passengers who usually ride through to Oceanside will have to make another0:43arrangement for the southern leg.0:45The change affects a stretch of the line, so describing it as two closed stations0:49misses how the trains will operate.0:51Laguna Nigel Mission Viejo will remain served throughout the planned adjustment.0:55For five weekdays, Metrolink won't provide a replacement bus across the suspended0:59stretch.1:00A passenger who normally completes that journey on the Orange County line won't be1:04able to make the same trip using an agency-provided bus connection.1:07Metrolink announced the plan on October 22nd.1:10to keep coastal disruption from spreading delays and cancellations across its1:14system.1:14Turning trains around before the exposed section should make the remaining schedule1:18more predictable.1:19It also reduces competing rail traffic near San Clemente, where Pacific Surfliner1:24and freight trains share the beachfront corridor.1:26The coastal flood warning begins October 25 at 5 in the morning.1:30It ends October 29 at 1 in the afternoon, Pacific Time.1:34Metrolink's cutback continues through October 30th, a day beyond the warning.1:38The two schedules have different end dates.1:41The warning covers coastal areas of Orange and San Diego counties and forecasts1:45significant flooding during high tides.1:47Forecasters issued it on October 23rd.1:49Metrolink chose its own operating schedule in response to the coastal risk.1:53The weather warning itself doesn't order trains to stop.1:56The tracks run along a coast where waves have already caused trouble.1:59Metrolink will coordinate with its rail partners and have qualified personnel2:02inspect the corridor frequently.2:04Crews and equipment will wait nearby so they can respond quickly if coastal2:07conditions affect the tracks.2:09September brought a separate episode of physical damage, waves overtopped the2:12tracks, and crews observed additional erosion and slope damage before a temporary2:16closure.2:17That history helps explain the precautions now.2:19Metrolink says the trigger for this five-day adjustment is the high tide forecast.2:23On September 28th, the Orange County Transportation Authority declared an emergency2:27to accelerate shoreline protection.2:29Its plan called for about 690,000 cubic yards of sand ahead of potential El Niño2:34storms.2:35That was the amount planned for placement.2:37Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner has a different operating plan.2:40It shares the coastal corridor, but Metrolink's announcement leaves Surfliner2:43running subject to safe conditions.2:45Passengers, considering that service, can't assume it guarantees a connection or2:49accepts their Metrolink ticket under a special replacement arrangement.2:51Surfliner also has a separate delay advisory overlapping the start of Metrolink's2:56cutback.2:56It warns of delays of about 30 minutes between San Clemente Pier and Oceanside from3:01October 20th through October 27th because of signal issues and weather conditions.3:05Those delays affect a service that is still scheduled to operate.3:08Metrolink's five-day suspension applies to its Orange County line segment.3:12Conditions on the shared tracks could still change what operators can run, and a new3:16track restriction or revised service notice would change the passenger outlook.3:19Metrolink currently expects weekend service to be unaffected, though coastal3:23conditions could change that.3:25Friday, October 30th is the last scheduled day of the cutback.3:29The agency hasn't specified the first restored train afterward.Explore with HeyDexFollow via RSSThe shortThe short ↗Related coverageSame eventOct 25 05:01 UTCCalifornia’s ocean is already running high. The next tides threaten a battered coast
