Passenger railroad service through San Clemente is scheduled to resume Saturday, May 27, after a geotechnical assessment and final track inspection determined it was safe to do, according to announcements from the Orange County Transportation Authority, as well as Metrolink and Amtrak on Friday, May 26.
The update comes as the City of San Clemente announced Thursday, May 25, that emergency slope stabilization repair work at Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens was expected to be completed Friday.
A landslide that occurred in the rear of the historic property in April caused debris to fall onto the railroad track, prompting Metrolink and Amtrak to temporarily suspend rail service.
A city contractor worked to remove excess soil and reshape the slope to protect the track and the neighboring residential building from encroaching material.
“More permanent work will be needed to secure the Casa Romantica building, as well as the entire slope in the future,” the city said in its announcement.
Contractors from Metrolink also worked to clear debris from the railroad track area.
Amtrak also announced that its Pacific Surfliner is set to resume service starting Friday night with a train from San Diego to San Luis Obispo.
Passengers with reservations that include a bus trip between Irvine and Oceanside should soon receive a message from Amtrak with updates.
On Friday, local officials gathered at Casa Romantica’s courtyard for a ribbon-cutting event, celebrating a grand (partial) reopening of the cultural center.
Executive Director Amy Behrens thanked those in attendance and the community for their help, as the landslide forced the building to close on April 27.
“We’ve received so many wonderful donations from individuals and businesses in our community to beautify the areas across Casa Romantica” said Behrens, adding, “We’ve received a very generous outpouring of support for our emergency landslide campaign, ‘Rebuilding Hope and Preserving History.’ ”
She reiterated that Casa Romantica has experienced significant losses because of the stoppage of general admission and ticket revenue and the cancellation of weddings and other events on the property.
In early May, Casa Romantica announced its efforts to raise $250,000 by the end of June.
Casa Romantica will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout Memorial Day Weekend, according to Behrens. She also announced the extension of the Inspired by History art exhibit through Sept. 3 and the beginning of Twilight Tuesdays, during which visitors can experience the early evening at the site form June 6 to Aug. 29.
Information about Metrolink’s service can be found at metrolinktrains.com/service-updates, and information about Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner line can be found at pacificsurfliner.com.
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