Amtrak cancels some L.A. service for second day due to fatal Metrolink crash

For a second day, some Amtrak service to Los Angeles remains disrupted because of Friday’s Metrolink crash that has temporarily closed the railroad route, according to the news update linked to from Amtrak’s homepage.

Today (Sunday, Sept. 14), Pacific Surfliner trains –- and their connecting coaches –- between San Luis Obispo/Goleta and Los Angeles aren’t running. Amtrak is not providing alternate transportation, but MTA buses will offer bridge service between the closed Moorpark and Chatsworth stations on Metrolink’s Ventura line starting Monday.

[>>Click the image above to open a full photo gallery in a new window.<<]

The Pacific Surfliner, Amtrak’s third busiest route, usually runs 12 daily round trips between San Diego and Los Angeles, including five extending to Santa Barbara and two continuing to San Luis Obispo.

Also today, the Coast Starlight will begin and end in Santa Barbara, with alternate transportation provided between Santa Barbara and L.A.

Amtrak uses the tracks involved in the Metrolink crash for its 1,400-mile Coast Starlight service, between Los Angeles’ Union Station and Seattle.

–Mary Forgione, Los Angeles Times staff writer

Editor’s note: A call to an Amtrak reservations agent late Saturday evening confirmed that Pacific Surfliner trains would continue to operate normally between Los Angeles and San Diego, in addition to one regularly scheduled Thruway Motorcoach connecting service that leaves L.A.’s Union Station daily at 2:50 a.m.

[Photo: Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times]

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This entry was posted on Sunday, September 14, 2008 at 6:00 am by Mary Forgione and is filed under California, California's Central Coast, Los Angeles, News, Tips & Advice, Rail Travel, San Luis Obispo. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.