Thirsty Bird Saloon Railcam

A Classic Midwest Grade Crossing

Mounted across from Milepost 117.95, this camera looks southwest over a quintessential American railroad grade crossing, complete with crossing gates, signal masts and a red stop sign. Trains crossing left to right run westbound toward Portage, while those moving right to left head eastbound toward Milwaukee.

Trains You'll Catch

The CPKC Watertown Subdivision carries a steady mix of freight, while Amtrak's daily Empire Builder and the Borealis service add passenger variety. A live radio scanner feed monitoring AAR channel 084 lets viewers hear hotbox detectors and dispatch traffic as the action unfolds.

Small-Town Setting

The backdrop is the heart of Oconomowoc, a lakeside city in southeastern Wisconsin, with weathered brick facades, tidy streets and the namesake Thirsty Bird Saloon just out of frame. It is a window onto everyday Midwestern life as much as the rails themselves.