ALL ABOARD FOR FUN IN FILLMORE VINTAGE RAILWAY OFFERS VARIETY OF EXCURSIONS.

Byline: Daily News

FILLMORE - Hop aboard. The Fillmore & Western Railway is pulling out for a variety of adventures.

Passengers can solve a murder mystery over dinner, dance under oak trees in a secluded site surrounded by orange groves or sample wine while listening to live jazz as they roll along in a parlor car built when Calvin Coolidge was president.

The railway features vintage coaches, stately business cars, classic parlor cars - even an open-air rail car fitted with park benches - that steam along the historic 100-year-old restored track on a round-trip journey through the rolling citrus groves of rural Ventura County.

While enjoying the view and either lunch or a full-course dinner, passengers are regaled with a variety of theme-related entertainment from murder mysteries to barbecues with dancing to a live Western band.

The following train rides are scheduled for September. All trains depart from Central Park, 250 N. Central Ave., in Fillmore. Advance reservations can be made by calling [phone].

Summer BBQ Trains, departing at 6:30 p.m. and returning at 10 p.m. Sept. 7 and 21. Escape for a delightful adventure in the country, beginning with a relaxing ride aboard a 1940-era diesel-powered Streamliner as you travel to a secluded site in the orange groves. A full-course dinner featuring chicken or grilled tri-tip basted with barbecue sauce is followed by live musical entertainment. Sit back and enjoy, or get up and dance until the conductor calls ``all aboard'' for the return trip to Fillmore. Cost is $58 per person, or $52 for seniors.

Golden State Dinner Train, departing at 7:30 p.m. and returning at 10 p.m. Sept. 13. Passengers can enjoy the beautiful sunset while being served a gourmet dinner of beef, chicken or fish. After dinner, enjoy the outdoors and watch the moon rise and the stars shine, or dance to old favorites. Cost is $65 per person.

Murder Mystery Dinner Train, with the theme ``When the West was Wild,'' departing at 6:30 p.m. and returning at 9:30 p.m. Sept. 14 and 28. Passengers embark on an evening train ride with a gourmet dinner, hearty laughs and some less-than-serious sleuthing. Jump right in and help solve the murder, or simply sit back and be waited on and entertained by P. Maxwell Production troupe. Cost is $79 per person.

Weekend Scenic Excursions, departing at 2 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sundays every weekend. These daytime train rides feature a fresh-air observation car with diner service available during a 2 1/2-hour ride through the beautiful citrus and avocado groves of Heritage Valley. Take the family to lunch in the diner car and order lunch from the a la carte menu. Your meal will be specially prepared to your order, just like the old days when rail travel was elegant. Cost is $18 for adults, $16 for seniors, $8 for children ages 4 to 12, and $5 for infants to age 3.

Antique Treasure Train, departing at 12:30 p.m. and returning at 4:30 p.m. every Wednesday. Ride a vintage train between two rural small towns in the Heritage Valley. Shop in the quaint antique stores, leisurely stroll the streets of historic downtown business districts, all while searching for treasure in the form of antiques, artifacts and rare collectibles. A hot lunch is served while passengers plot their shopping strategy, but dessert is saved for the return trip to Fillmore. The excursion is designed especially for tour groups, but is open to individuals on a space-available basis. Cost is $36 per person.

Museum and Murals Tour, departing at 11:30 a.m. and returning at 4:30 p.m. every Thursday. Ride to the California Oil Museum where docents will lead passengers on a tour that includes the restored executive offices upstairs and a short walking tour of Santa Paula's historic downtown featuring murals depicting early life and businesses in the Heritage Valley. Stop for a refreshing beverage at the Whistle Stop Cafe midway through the tour. A hot lunch is served during the trip to Santa Paula, with dessert and coffee served on the return trip to Fillmore. The excursion is designed for tour groups, but is open to individuals on a space-available basis. Cost is $41 per person.

Upcoming train excursions include the popular Pumpkinliners weekends in October, the Santa Train on Nov. 30, the Christmas Tree Holiday Trains on weekends in December, and the New Year's Eve Celebration Train on Dec. 31. For information about these events, call the Fillmore & Western Railway at [phone].