FILLMORE : Movie Set Train Gets Back on Track

A movie train operation should be back on track with Southern Pacific Transportation Co.’s agreement to lease 16 miles of railroad track to Fillmore, city officials said. The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the lease and sublet the line to Short Line Enterprises.

The council loaned Short Line $50,000 in 1990 to move two trains, which will be rented to filmmakers for use as a set. City officials hoped to see the trains play a key role in attracting tourism and development to Fillmore’s downtown.

“This lease allows Short Line to stay in business and to become part of what we envision for downtown,” said City Manager Roy Payne.

Since moving their trains to Fillmore last year, Short Line owners Stan Garner and Jim Clark have had to negotiate each use of the track with Southern Pacific, which they said caused delays and reduced their business. “We’ve lost some big contracts because of it, like ‘The Frank Sinatra Story,’ ” which is in production, Clark said. “But we’ve got some commercials cooking, which is good for us--and a good sign for the economy.”

The lease for the stretch of track between Santa Paula and Piru will cost Fillmore $1,500 a month or 15% of the revenue generated by its use, whichever is greater. The city will pass the costs on to Short Line, and charge the company an additional $500 a month for administrative costs.

Besides the movie operation, Short Line owners plan a dinner train in which they hope to take customers on a leisurely ride through local orange groves. “But we’re thinking of a stationary dinner train to start with--we could get that going sooner,” Clark said.

Only one obstacle remains to Short Line’s full operation: the Interstate Commerce Commission must receive and approve Southern Pacific’s application to discontinue service on the route. The rail line is now used to haul citrus from Piru and Fillmore. City officials said ICC approval could take 30 days to six months.

“We have the full support of the State Film Commission,” Clark said. “We’ll hope it takes less.”

Southern Pacific spokesman Mike Furtney said it was unlikely that the application would be denied, “but it takes some time to grind through the process back in D.C. The ICC moves at its own pace, particularly if the route is not considered critical. I’m not sure about the possibility of expediting the process.”