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A Scenic California Rail Line Sits on an Eroding Cliff. Where Should the Tracks Go?
(www.nytimes.com)
this post was submitted on 04 Mar 2025
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It is not going to last long term. From Dana Point when that line starts paralleling the coast it is unsustainable in several areas. In DP water has already crossed the park and near the rails with no major elevation diff during a couple of king tides in recent years. The line is getting shut down or slowed through San Clemente right here by my house often because the tracks are right on the edge of rocks with the waves crashing into them a few feet below and not a half the track gage width off to the side. They keep adding rocks and fill to the worst spots, but the water is deep fast and not conducive to the efforts.
People usually do not realize this is one of the few spots in the world with deep water upwelling because of wind patterns and deep water close to shore. It is not possible to use simple methods of reinforcement to prevent erosion.
Indeed, I remember on a few rides right by Clemente where salt spray was getting blasted onto the window I was sitting at as the train sped along, waves crashing alongside. Literally, riding the edge of America.
Amazing as it was, as an engineer I also immediately understood how close to the edge of service life this was.