Amtrak Train Derails Causing Local Delays

The Amtrak train line that serves Laguna Niguel bteween San Diego and Oakland derailed near Los Angeles Union Station today, not hurting anybody but delaying passenger trains.

The northbound Coast Starlight train was reportedly "empty" when it jumped the tracks, according to a brief statement from Amtrak.

Notice of the derailment was given by Amtrak to Metrolink at 10:38 a.m., but the exact time of the mishap was not released by Amtrak.

Tracks in that area are owned and operated by Metrolink, the local commuter rail agency that shares tracks with Amtrak on the Los Angeles-San Diego rail corridor.

Metrolink spokeswoman Delana Gbenekama said the mishap was one quarter mile southeast of Union Station. Two Metrolink trains from Los Angeles to Oceanside were delayed up to one hour as southbound trains waited to use northbound tracks through the Amtrak switching yard on the bank of the Los Angeles River.

The northbound Amtrak train to Oakland and Seattle was scheduled to depart Union Station at 10:26 a.m. and was running nearly two hours late today, according to Amtrak.

Los Angeles firefighters were not called to the scene, a spokeswoman said.

- City News Service