FILLMORE : City Agrees to Back Movie-Dinner Train

Fillmore officials gave another boost to a proposed movie and dinner train operation this week by agreeing to push negotiations for Short Line Enterprises to use Southern Pacific railroad tracks between Piru and Santa Paula.

Short Line needs the tracks this month during the filming of Charlie Chaplin’s life story, City Manager Roy Payne said. If Southern Pacific agrees, the city of Fillmore will lease the tracks and sublet the right-of-way to Short Line, Payne said. Southern Pacific officials prefer to work with the city rather than lease directly to Short Line, he said.

The lease calls for payments to Southern Pacific of $1,500 a month or 8% of Short Line’s revenues, whichever is greater. Short Line would be expected to cover costs as well as pay Fillmore $500 a month, Payne said.

Last year, Fillmore loaned Short Line owners Stan Garner and Jim Clark $50,000 to move their train from a former movie set on Newhall Ranch east of Piru. Fillmore city officials said Short Line had to obtain the rights to use the railroad tracks and begin movie operations before the end of 1991 or repay the loan.