Sheriff's deputies out in force to prevent train mooning unrest

The Orange County Sheriff's Department has beefed up patrols and will be on the lookout for public drunkenness today during the annual "mooning" of passing trains in Laguna Niguel.

For decades, a growing stream of regulars has come from as far as France to the Mugs Away Saloon in Laguna Niguel  and — full of beer and confidence — mooned the passing passenger trains. 

Last year, however, the annual moon-fest got a little too exuberant, drawing 8,000 beer-swilling, clothes-dropping patrons who bared more than their behinds when the Amtrak came rolling down the tracks. 

Now, officials in the south Orange County city are planning to crack down on the event, which has grown from a small barroom bet among friends to a full-scale festival with reports of people passing out, having sex and freely sprinkling their clothes every which way as passenger trains chug past. Last year’s event was shut down by authorities, who brought in more than 50 officers and a squadron of helicopters to restore order.

This year, the Laguna Niguel City Council voted for a crackdown, and officials have been working with event organizers. Sheriff's officials have said they hope the extra deputies will prevent problems this year.

-- Shelby Grad and Tony Barboza

Comments

[J Horan]

The mayor and city council said they needed to shut down the Moon the Amtrak because so may out of towners came to their city for the last 29 years. A few individuals in 2008 caused limited problems and there was no reason to stop the Mooning because of a few. I wonder how the city would react if no out of towners presently stayed away from the Art Festival from now on?

Orange County citizens should really be upset with the costs for all of the police and sheriffs they had there all day to control less than 300 people according to the OC Register. Law Enforcement accounted for about 17% of the attendees which is ridiculous.