The State - News from Aug. 2, 1988

Workers have started a four-year project to replace an aging 107-mile stretch of train track from Fullerton to San Diego to smooth out and speed up the ride while lessening the likelihood of mishaps. The $44-million project is being financed primarily by Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties, Caltrans and the two railroads that use the track--Amtrak and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad Co. The project--in which old track is replaced with smoother, continuous welded rails, and pads are installed to even out crossings--is the first step in introducing commuter rail service from south Orange County to downtown Los Angeles, project officials said.