Train service disrupted following bluff collapses in Del Mar

Portions of the train tracks that regularly carry passengers between Los Angeles and San Diego are closed Saturday to repair damage from a bluff collapse in Del Mar.

The cliff failure occurred sometime Friday morning south of Seagrove Park, in front of the Wave Crest condominium complex, following heavy rains, according to observers.

The repairs are taking place south of the Solana Beach train station, according to the North County Transit District.

Coaster trains will run on their regular Saturday service schedule from Oceanside Transit Center to Solana Beach Coaster station and passengers will be taken by bus between Solana Beach train station and Santa Fe Depot, according to the NCTD.

Travelers who are headed north and board the train south of the Solana Beach station will be bused to Oceanside Transit Center, while passengers heading north between Solana Beach Station and Oceanside Transit Center will have a regular train schedule.

Service for the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner will also be affected.

Southbound Trains 1572, 578, 1584 and 1590 will be canceled. Northbound Trains 1565, 1573, 583 and 1591 will also be canceled. Train 1761 will be canceled between San Diego and Los Angeles International Airport.

Bus service will be provided for all other trains.

For more information go online at PacificSurfliner.com or call (800) 872-7245.

Regularly scheduled train service for both Amtrak and the Coaster is expected to resume on Sunday. However, Amtrak Train 1761 will originate in Solana Beach on Sunday.

The location of a bluff collapse on Friday, Nov. 29, in Del Mar, south of Seagrove Park.

(Gary Robbins / The San Diego Union-Tribune
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Del Mar residents have been warned that they may hear significant noise from repair crews until midnight Saturday.

The collapse narrowly missed the tracks on Friday, and trains were deemed safe to move through the area, although at restricted speeds. Engineers also kept a close eye on the conditions.

It was unclear exactly when the collapse occurred.

“The first time we saw it was this morning when we woke up,” Ken Knight of central Washington, who’s vacationing in the area, said Friday. “It’s probably a foot or two from the ties on the track. It’s close.”

Del Mar has seen a significant increase in bluff collapses in recent years, largely attributed to the destabilizing effects of urban runoff and erosion from ocean waves. Sea-level rise driven by climate change is expected to exacerbate failures in coming decades.

The most recent incident comes after a Thanksgiving storm soaked the San Diego region.

Regional transportation officials have planned a number of drainage improvements and other improvements aimed at stabilizing the bluffs. Long-range plans are also underway to relocate or stabilize the train tracks that service Amtrak, Coaster and freight operations.

Beachgoers in Del Mar and other areas are encouraged to keep a safe distance from steep cliff sides, roughly 25 to 40 feet.

While parts of the bluffs are made of sturdy mudstone, other sections are very precarious, specifically stretches that were filled with loose materials when the railroad was constructed.

Staff writer Charles T. Clark and Kristina Davis contributed to this report.