The Race to save the Surfliner Route from the Pacific.

[PRR 60]

From the Wall Street Journal, 4/6/2024

The Pacific Surfliner train runs along some of the most spectacular coastline in America, traversing Southern California bluffs and beaches while ocean waves crash on the golden sand nearby. Soon, some fear it might fall into the ocean.

Rising sea levels and powerful storms are eating away at the ground holding up the tracks on the second most popular Amtrak rail corridor in the U.S. The route runs 351 miles from San Diego through Los Angeles to California’s Central Coast and is also used by freight and commuter trains. The erosion has caused landslides that shut down the Surfliner at least a dozen times in the past six years.

A (hopefully) free link to the article:

Wall Street Journal

 

[George Harris]

Slope protection is neither mystery science nor magic. Use it, posthaste. And while you are at it, make the railroad roadbed wide enough for two tracks and catenary. If my opinion was requested, I would say put the tracks on 22 to 24 feet centers so you could have one row of poles down the middle to hang wires over both tracks. And...by the way, while you are at it, raise the profile where it needs it. I would think a top of rail in the range of 10 to 15 feet above sea level should be about sufficient.

 

[GDRRiley]

Slope protection is neither mystery science nor magic. Use it, posthaste. And while you are at it, make the railroad roadbed wide enough for two tracks and catenary. If my opinion was requested, I would say put the tracks on 22 to 24 feet centers so you could have one row of poles down the middle to hang wires over both tracks. And...by the way, while you are at it, raise the profile where it needs it. I would think a top of rail in the range of 10 to 15 feet above sea level should be about sufficient.

That is not an option for a large amount of reasons.
The only option is move the line inland of San Clemente and Del mar. North of LA there are some spots where we will need similar bypasses to get off the coastal bluffs.

 

[George Harris]

That is not an option for a large amount of reasons.
The only option is move the line inland of San Clemente and Del mar. North of LA there are some spots where we will need similar bypasses to get off the coastal bluffs.

What are some of the reasons? What I have seen so far are mostly NIMBY'isms or somewhat dubious environmental issues. Think some variation of these same things won't happen for any of the relocation plans? If anything they will likely be stronger. There may be some areas where some shifts in alignment would be needed or desirable, particularly where these would improve curvature, but to say realignment or nothing is not realistic, and will most likely result in nothing.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

NIMBY and Money. That the two biggest issues. The other issue is rich people house and yards. Although if the government rebuilt the railway it would provide a barrier from the ocean and their house at some miles. Anyway it’s a very complicated situation mile by mile with multiple factors. I am just glad that I am not involved in the decision process.

 

[GDRRiley]

What are some of the reasons? What I have seen so far are mostly NIMBY'isms or somewhat dubious environmental issues. Think some variation of these same things won't happen for any of the relocation plans? If anything they will likely be stronger. There may be some areas where some shifts in alignment would be needed or desirable, particularly where these would improve curvature, but to say realignment or nothing is not realistic, and will most likely result in nothing.

California Coastal Commission won't allow it, they don't want hard barriers anywhere along the coast line
The route is extremely slow in both Del mar and San Clemente
getting the required 40ft width for 2 tracks with wires in between would mean removing large parts of the cliff side in San Clemente and the existing trail
In del mar there are sections where you'd need to shift the existing track further towards the ocean
NIMBYs and some cities want the rail line gone and you'd need to fight them to get approval to construct it even if you can use a CEQA exemption