Pacific Surfliner

Tadman wrote:While I agree that this line has even more potential, the Californians are still a fickle group. They pretend to be environmentalists but LOVE their cars. Recently while attending a wedding in Pasadena, I stayed downtown and rode the Gold Line. People thought I was crazy for using public transportation and staying downtown. Other wedding attendees in Oceanside (half way to San Diego) all drove rather than taking Surfliner. I suggested Surfliner and they looked at me like I was crazy again.

Somehow I endure their hilarious commentary about my politics, but come time to put their money where their mouth is, and it's hardcore car driving time.

it's not like they aren't spending money on rail but as a non-Californian it is bizarre that upgrading SAN-LAX isn't the first thing they'd invest in. Obviously state politics must preclude it...and how will modeshare ever shift if the projects with the greatest benefit aren't the ones funded?

Tadman wrote:While I agree that this line has even more potential, the Californians are still a fickle group. They pretend to be environmentalists but LOVE their cars. Recently while attending a wedding in Pasadena, I stayed downtown and rode the Gold Line. People thought I was crazy for using public transportation and staying downtown. Other wedding attendees in Oceanside (half way to San Diego) all drove rather than taking Surfliner. I suggested Surfliner and they looked at me like I was crazy again.

Somehow I endure their hilarious commentary about my politics, but come time to put their money where their mouth is, and it's hardcore car driving time.

Considering that California's among the earliest adopters of car culture, old habits die hard. The whole post-WWII culture has ingrained people to demonize public anything and lionize private everything.

Suburban Station wrote:it's not like they aren't spending money on rail but as a non-Californian it is bizarre that upgrading SAN-LAX isn't the first thing they'd invest in. Obviously state politics must preclude it...and how will modeshare ever shift if the projects with the greatest benefit aren't the ones funded?

LAX is getting a people mover and LACMTA light rail is in the process of linking up with the airport.

https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/ ... peed-rail/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Improvements such as the OP suggests would have made a lot more sense that the "nowhere to nowhere" CAHSR now underway. Unfortunately that train has already left the station so to speak

All y’all need to go back and map the SAN DIEGANS over time, from the 1940s to the present day. The service was 3/day on April 30, 1971. Amtrak cut it to 2/day on A Day.

It’s now up to 11/day.

As for Del Mar, trust me...it’s still a popular destination during season.

John_Perkowski wrote:All y’all need to go back and map the SAN DIEGANS over time, from the 1940s to the present day. The service was 3/day on April 30, 1971. Amtrak cut it to 2/day on A Day.

It’s now up to 11/day.

As for Del Mar, trust me...it’s still a popular destination during season.

The main issue is safety, being that it runs dangerously to the coast, and at 125 MPH, this would be unsafe. What this is going to mean is that between the south of the Carlsbad Village station and La Jolla, the entire tracks would be relocated onto the I-5 ROW and be elevated above the freeway a la I-110's Harbor Transitway

jonnhrr wrote:Improvements such as the OP suggests would have made a lot more sense that the "nowhere to nowhere" CAHSR now underway. Unfortunately that train has already left the station so to speak

CAHSR honestly should have started off with LOSSAN HSR (plus Tejon HSR) before doing Central Valley HSR. Not sure why they ditched LOSSAN if giving it HSR would have made much more sense and could actually fund the existing Central Valley IOS.

If Nippon-Sharyo didn't have that FAILED crush we would be thinking about the 3rd gen Surfliners instead Caltrain gets "new" single level cars
based off Brightline/PRII A specs.
CaSHR is now DOA,let that concept rest in peace.
Now it's time to work with whats available for now

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/co ... nge-county

Agency wants to study railroad relocation to protect endangered tracks in southern Orange County

Orange County Transportation Authority officials said Monday they need $7 million to study possible solutions, including realignment to protect the seven miles of endangered coastal railroad tracks from Dana Point to the border of San Diego and Orange counties.

Weekday passenger service has been suspended between the two counties since late September, when new movement was discovered in a recurring 700-foot-wide landslide along the beach at San Clemente. Weekend Amtrak service was restored Feb. 4, but stabilization work remains underway on weekdays.

The OCTA proposal includes $2 million for the first phase of studies to protect the tracks in place with measures such as sand replenishment and retention. A second phase of studies would require $5 million for a long-term look at potentially relocating the tracks inland, probably along or underneath Interstate 5, which would require the cooperation of local, regional, state and federal agencies and would cost unknown billions of dollars.
...

https://www.ocregister.com/2023/04/10/m ... mente/amp/

Metrolink, Amtrak to resume full passenger train service through San Clemente

After half a year of work to secure a coastal bluff along a key stretch of track, passenger trains are expected to resume full service through San Clemente starting on April 17.

The Orange County Transportation Authority announced Monday, April 10, that Metrolink and Amtrak Pacific Surfliner rail services are ready to roll again, connecting Los Angeles, the Inland Empire and Orange County to San Diego County.
...

A month ago, they needed $7M.... now it's safe again?

Sent from my SM-G981U using Tapatalk

It's safe for now, but the expectation is that the current remediation will eventually erode away, so the $7 million request is to plan a long term remediation.

It happened again: https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/ ... ?_amp=true

Dozens of passengers in Oceanside impacted by track closure due to landslide

OCEANSIDE, Calif. (KGTV) — Dozens of passengers at the Oceanside Transit Center had to find alternate transportation to their destinations after a landslide in San Clemente shut down train service in parts of San Diego and Orange Counties Thursday.

This comes just weeks after service resumed in the area following a months-long closure.

Amtrak said debris from a slope underneath San Clemente's Casa Romatica Cultural Center fell near the tracks.
...
Amtrak said the suspension will last through Friday. Limited train service will be available to San Juan Capistrano. Amtrak is using bus bridges to transport passengers between Irvine and Oceanside.

And it's reopened again: https://fox5sandiego.com/news/californi ... slide/amp/

and it's closed again: https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/ ... 023/?amp=1

Landslide in San Clemente halts Amtrak, Metrolink rail service out of North County again

Another landslide in the San Clemente area forced a renewed halt in rail service through southern Orange County Monday.

The tracks used by Metrolink and Amtrak Pacific Surfliner trains were closed Monday morning between San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano as crews inspected what appeared to be another significant movement of dirt on the hillside overlooking the tracks, just below the Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens.
...

Nope, final straw for me. They need a more in-land service with buses to bridge to the towns and they need it now. It's been like this for... five years now? The coastal line's toast, and it's getting to the point of being ridiculous having to rebuild it over and over and over again.