LOS ANGELES — It's among the nation's most iconic and heavily utilized passenger rail lines, linking Southern California's cities via a stunning coastal route. From the grassy headlands of San Luis Obispo to Orange County's wide-open beaches and San Diego's oceanside bluffs, the so-called Lossan rail corridor is famous for its breathtaking views of the pounding Pacific.
But can it last?
Between crumbling bluffs and relentless beach erosion, regular passenger service along the Lossan (short for Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo) corridor has been shut down in southern Orange County for all but a few weeks since last September. Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner train has shifted to replacement buses that ferry passengers through traffic and sprawl further inland, while Metrolink has simply stopped serving key tourist destinations such as San Clemente.
