Tunnel City (CP Rail) – Tunnel City, Wisconsin, USA | Train Spotting Location

Perched on a wooded ridge where Canadian Pacific Kansas City’s busy transcontinental main line punches through the hills of central Wisconsin, Tunnel City is a compact, crowd-free railfan haven that delivers a rare mix of constant freight action, daily Amtrak passenger runs, dramatic grades, and the historic remnants of two 19th-century railroad tunnels—all in one easily walkable location.

🛤️ The Trainspotting Experience

A typical visit starts at the public grade crossing on Sparta Avenue, the community’s sole east–west street. From this safe, legal vantage you have an unobstructed, track-level view in both directions: west toward the concrete portal of the 1910 tunnel and east down a gentle, curving descent toward Tomah. Trains emerge suddenly from the bore, dynamic brakes howling as they tip over the summit, then throttle up for the downhill sprint. Expect ground-shaking rumble; distributed-power units mid-train and on the rear are common, especially on unit grain and oil trains. Average speeds hover around 25–35 mph through the curve, giving ample time for photos while still conveying a sense of power. Train lengths regularly exceed 8,000 ft, so a long lens will capture multiple locomotives weaving through the S-curve. Horn echoes off the bluffs, adding to the immersive soundscape.

🌄 Landscape, Setting and Local Atmosphere

Tunnel City sits at roughly 950 ft above sea level where sandstone bluffs rise from rolling dairy farmland. Mixed oak and maple forests cloak the slopes above the portal, providing lush greens in summer and brilliant reds and golds each October. Winter brings crisp air, snow-draped pines, and long sight lines once leaves have fallen. Morning fog often settles in the valley east of town, yielding dramatic shots of locomotives bursting through low clouds. Despite the line’s traffic, the hamlet itself remains quiet; only a handful of houses and a small church stand between pastures dotted with grazing Holsteins. The combination of rural serenity and powerful rail action defines the local atmosphere.

🚂 Type and Frequency of Train Activity

• Canadian Pacific Kansas City (ex-CP) mainline freights: 18–22 trains per 24 hours, a blend of mixed manifests, ethanol, grain, potash, and intermodal blocks running between Chicago, the Twin Cities, and western Canada.
• Amtrak Empire Builder: Train 7 (westbound) mid-afternoon and Train 8 (eastbound) just after dawn, both using P42DC power and Superliner equipment.
• Wisconsin & Southern Railway: Two-to-three round trips per week interchange here, bringing sand and agricultural products from the Reedsburg Subdivision.
No unit coal or UP/BNSF run-through trains are scheduled; most non-CP power appears as pooled units in manifest consists. Traffic tends to peak 05:00–09:00 and 15:00–19:00 when dispatchers push westbounds over the hill before and after Amtrak’s slot.

📸 Best Angles for Photos and What Railfans Enjoy Most

1. Sparta Avenue Crossing: Stand on the southwest quadrant for a head-on telephoto of eastbounds exiting the tunnel, framed by the concrete portal and forest canopy. Early afternoon sun lights the nose; morning offers silhouette possibilities.
2. County Highway M Overpass (0.4 mi east): From the pedestrian walkway you can shoot westbounds against open sky with the valley floor as backdrop. Late afternoon sunlight fills the scene.
3. Ridge Trail (public ATV trail paralleling the south side): A short uphill walk gives a 15-ft elevation above rail level, perfect for broadside panoramas showing the entire train snaking through the curve. Golden-hour side light accentuates locomotive detail.
   Railfans prize the location for catching mid-train DP units erupting from the bore while the head-end is already crossing Sparta Avenue—a signature “double-portal” shot unique to Tunnel City.

🕰️ Historical or Cultural Relevance

The settlement owes its name to the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, which completed Wisconsin’s first railroad tunnel here in 1858. After a catastrophic clay collapse in 1911, the Milwaukee Road bored the present ¼-mile tunnel just north of the original alignment; remnants of the 1858 stone portal are still visible in the brush south of the active track. The site marked the summit of the Milwaukee Road’s celebrated “Air Line” between Milwaukee and La Crosse, a key segment of its Pacific Extension. Today’s line remains a strategic artery for CPKC, making Tunnel City a living link between 19th-century engineering and modern heavy-haul railroading.

🧭 What Makes This Spot Different from Others

Unlike flat-land Wisconsin crossings, Tunnel City offers continuous grade action, a working tunnel, and a safe public photo line all within a few hundred feet—no trespassing or long hikes required. The audible drama of locomotives working upgrade, combined with the historical ruins of the original tunnel visible from the same spot, provides a multi-layered experience seldom matched elsewhere in the Upper Midwest. Add in guaranteed daily Amtrak service for passenger shots, and the location balances variety with reliability better than many busier but less accessible mainline hotspots.

📚 Additional Resources

Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railway
Wisconsin Department of Transportation – Railroads & Harbors
National Railroad Museum