Fillmore & Western Railway, California
Heritage railroad with a museumNo longer operating as a heritage railway; confirm current status locally
The Fillmore & Western Railway was a heritage railway in Fillmore, California, best known for supplying trains, sets and crews to the film industry along the Ventura County rail corridor between Santa Paula and Piru.
- Reporting mark FWRY
- Known for movie trains
- Ran between Santa Paula and Piru
- Track owned by the county
Fillmore & Western Railway at a glance
- Hours
- Not operating; no public hours
- Admission
- Not applicable
- Best for
- Rail history readers and film train fans
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Fillmore & Western Railway? Bring Rally along.
In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Fillmore.
Rally Takes the Train
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A railroad that worked for Hollywood
The Fillmore & Western Railway, reporting mark FWRY, was a heritage railway that ran on track owned by the Ventura County Transportation Commission. Its roots reach back to a collection of rolling stock known as Short's Line, which by 1976 had grown large enough to move to the Sierra Railroad in Jamestown, California, a better base for film work. That move set the company on its long path of providing movie trains to the film industry.
In Fillmore, visitors could often see filming in progress, along with movie sets and support equipment, in the company's rail yard and along the line between Santa Paula and Piru. The local Santa Clara River Valley Railroad Historical Society, which worked with the railway on restoration, has since posted a warm farewell thanking it for years of preserving the corridor and its history and for the joy it gave passengers and fans. Where its equipment is today has not been publicly announced.
Fillmore rail history you can still visit
With the railway no longer operating, the best place to see Fillmore's railroad story is the Fillmore Historical Museum, about a mile away, which has its own page on this site.
Where young train fans can go instead
There are no rides to book here now. Families can still visit the Fillmore Historical Museum in town, then head about 40 miles to the Los Angeles rail museums listed below.
Plan your visit: tips for Fillmore & Western Railway
- Visit the Fillmore Historical Museum, about a mile away, for local history.
- Check with the Santa Clara River Valley Railroad Historical Society for any news about the rail corridor.
The historical society that kept the corridor's story
The Santa Clara River Valley Railroad Historical Society helped restore the Fillmore & Western and has worked with the City of Fillmore and the Ventura County Transportation Commission to promote public transportation in the valley. Anyone who wants to keep the line's history alive can start with the society.
Rail history around Fillmore
The Fillmore Historical Museum, about a mile away, is the nearest place to learn local history. About 40 miles southeast in Los Angeles is Travel Town Museum, and the South Coast Railroad Museum in Goleta is about 53 miles away. See all California train museums for more.
- Fillmore Historical MuseumFillmore, CA · about 1 mi
- Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad MuseumLos Angeles, CA · about 40 mi
- Walt Disney's Carolwood BarnLos Angeles, CA · about 40 mi
- Travel Town MuseumLos Angeles, CA · about 40 mi
- Griffith Park & Southern RailroadLos Angeles, CA · about 40 mi
- South Coast Railroad MuseumGoleta, CA · about 53 mi
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
I like picturing all the conductors who stood beside these Fillmore trains, some real and some playing a part for the cameras. In our book, Mr. Conductor in his blue uniform holds out a hand to welcome Rally aboard, and that kind gesture is the part my kids ask about most. If your little one wants to color him in, you'll find him on our coloring pages.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.
Get the free coloring pages
A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)More for train families
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Work or volunteer at Fillmore & Western Railway?
We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.
Fillmore & Western Railway: 20 questions answered
Is the Fillmore & Western Railway still open?
The Fillmore & Western Railway was a heritage railway that operated in Ventura County, and the local railroad historical society has posted a farewell thanking it for its years of service. No current schedule is posted, so treat it as no longer operating and confirm any news locally.
Can you still ride the Fillmore & Western train?
No current excursion schedule is posted for the Fillmore & Western Railway, and its supporters have said farewell to it. Some third-party travel sites still describe rides, but those pages appear out of date. Before planning a trip around a ride, look for an announcement from a current operator in Fillmore.
What was the Fillmore & Western Railway?
It was a heritage railway, with the reporting mark FWRY, that ran on track owned by the Ventura County Transportation Commission. It was known for supplying trains for film and television work, and visitors to Fillmore could see sets and support equipment in its rail yard and along the line between Santa Paula and Piru.
Where did the Fillmore & Western Railway run?
The railway was based in Fillmore, in Ventura County, California. Filming activity and equipment could be seen at its Fillmore yard and along the tracks between Santa Paula and Piru, and the local historical society describes it as a tourist line running between Fillmore and Santa Paula. The track itself is owned by the county transportation commission.
Why was the Fillmore & Western Railway known for movies?
Making movie trains was central to the company from early on. Its history traces to a collection called Short's Line, which moved in 1976 to the Sierra Railroad in Jamestown, California because it was a better place for film work. In Fillmore, its yard and line became sets for film crews.
What is the history of the Fillmore & Western Railway?
The company's history begins with a growing collection of rolling stock called Short's Line. By 1976 it had moved to the Sierra Railroad in Jamestown, California for film work, which shaped its long-term business of movie trains. It later operated in Fillmore on county-owned track, carrying passengers and serving film crews.
Who owns the tracks the Fillmore & Western used?
The track is owned by the Ventura County Transportation Commission. The Fillmore & Western operated over it as a heritage railway. The Santa Clara River Valley Railroad Historical Society has worked with the City of Fillmore and the commission to promote public transportation in the area.
What is the Santa Clara River Valley Railroad Historical Society?
It is a Fillmore-based railroad historical society that has been involved in restoring the Fillmore & Western Railway. It also works with the City of Fillmore and the Ventura County Transportation Commission to promote public transportation in the valley. Its website, scrvrhs.com, carries its farewell message to the railway.
Where is the Fillmore & Western equipment now?
It has not been publicly announced where the Fillmore & Western's locomotives and cars went after it stopped operating. The Santa Clara River Valley Railroad Historical Society in Fillmore is the most likely local group to know, so start there if you are tracing a particular piece of equipment.
Is there a train museum in Fillmore, California?
The Fillmore Historical Museum, about a mile from the old railway yard, is the nearest museum on this site and has its own page with hours and details. About 40 miles away in Los Angeles, Travel Town Museum, the Los Angeles Live Steamers and the Griffith Park & Southern Railroad are larger rail attractions.
Were movies filmed on the Fillmore & Western Railway?
Yes. Visitors to Fillmore could see filming activity, along with sets and support equipment, at the railway's yard and along the tracks between Santa Paula and Piru. Supplying movie trains to the film industry was the company's long-term focus. Specific film titles are not listed publicly.
Did the Fillmore & Western run Christmas trains?
The railway is no longer operating, so no holiday trains run on the Fillmore line. For holiday rides this season, look to railroads and museums elsewhere in California that post current schedules, since nothing is scheduled in Fillmore.
Is the Fillmore & Western good for kids today?
With no trains running, there is nothing to ride. For a family outing in Fillmore, the Fillmore Historical Museum is about a mile away. Families with young train fans can also drive about 40 miles to Travel Town Museum and the other rail attractions in Los Angeles.
Can you visit the Fillmore & Western rail yard?
No public access to the former Fillmore & Western yard is advertised, and with the railway no longer operating there are no posted visiting hours. Respect any private property and active track. The Fillmore Historical Museum is the public place in town to learn about local railroading.
How can I support Fillmore rail history?
The Santa Clara River Valley Railroad Historical Society, which worked on the Fillmore & Western's restoration, is the local group dedicated to the valley's railroad history. Visiting the Fillmore Historical Museum nearby and supporting the historical society both help keep the valley's history alive.
Is the Fillmore & Western Railway the same as the Fillmore Train Museum?
Some travel websites use the name Fillmore Train Museum and describe the Fillmore & Western as an operating railway, but those descriptions appear to be out of date. The railway itself is no longer running. For a museum visit in Fillmore today, the Fillmore Historical Museum is about a mile away.
What town is the Fillmore & Western Railway in?
It was based in Fillmore, a small town in the Santa Clara River Valley of Ventura County, California. The line it used connected Fillmore with Santa Paula to the west and Piru to the east, and the track is owned by the Ventura County Transportation Commission.
When did the Fillmore & Western Railway close?
No exact closing date has been posted publicly. The railway no longer runs, and the Santa Clara River Valley Railroad Historical Society has published a farewell thanking it for its many years. For the exact date and circumstances, check with the historical society or local news.
Could a new operator bring trains back to Fillmore?
No plans for a new operator have been announced publicly. The track is owned by the Ventura County Transportation Commission, and the local historical society works with the City of Fillmore and the commission on transportation in the valley, so those groups would be the ones to share any news.
What train museums are near Fillmore, California?
The Fillmore Historical Museum is about a mile away in town. About 40 miles away in Los Angeles you will find Travel Town Museum, the Griffith Park & Southern Railroad, the Los Angeles Live Steamers and Walt Disney's Carolwood Barn. The South Coast Railroad Museum in Goleta is about 53 miles away.
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