ACE Cancels Train Service to San Jose Today

Update as of 9 a.m. Friday: Tracks expected to be cleared over weekend, Clean-up crews to clear tracks over the weekend for normal services by Monday

Altamont Commuter Express canceled its train service Thursday night and today due to mud and debris on the tracks in the Niles Canyon area, an ACE Train spokesman said.

Reeves told Patch Friday morning that services were expelled at 5 p.m. Thursday. ACE Services are expected to resume normally by Monday, he added.

"We anticipate complete free traffic on Monday. We don't have any reason to believe it won't be cleared by Monday," Reeves told Patch in a phone interview.

A mudslide in Niles Canyon in Sunol is reason for the suspension of services, said Union Pacific spokesman Aaron Hunt. The mudslide occured around 3:20 p.m. Thursday, he said.

"It took place about halfway through the canyon. Fortunately, there were no injuries or damage to any equipment," Hunt said in an e-mail to Patch.

Three ACE trains and two Union Pacific freight trains were diverted Thursday evening due to the mudslide, Hunt said.

Mud and debris is said to be blocking a path between the train stations in Pleasanton and Fremont, according to Reeves.

A Union Pacific crew of about 20 people is continuing the clean up mud and debris through the weekend, Hunt said.

No bus bridges will be in place on Friday, he said. 

Bay City News Services contributed to this Report