#donnersummit

Interior of Tunnel Seven, Donner Summit

In this image, the photographer is looking eastward along the former route of the Central Pacific Railroad over Donner Summit; Tunnel Eight is visible just beyond, after running across China Wall.

This line, part of the first transcontinental railroad in the United States, was built through the Sierra in 1867, twenty years after the infamous goings on at Donner Lake which lies just a few miles from where this image was made. Taken on October 7th 2011.

Tunnel Seven, Donner Summit

Platinum/Palladium print made as a demonstration for my Alternative Photographic Processes course (back on 2018).

Below Donner Summit

In the photograph above, an eastbound Union Pacific train is pictured just east of Donner Summit, high in the Sierra.

While the original route of the Central Pacific made it through the first summit tunnel in 1868, the train you see here is in the process of making its way through a much longer tunnel that was dug in 1925. This modern bore eliminated a circuitous and steep route over Donner that included seven tunnels (numbered Six through Twelve).

It should be noted that the original, circuitous line over the summit was not eliminated immediately after the new tunnel was constructed—it remained active as a secondary route until 1993.

Donner Summit, Part Two

While I was hiking around the Donner Summit area a few years ago, tracing the original Central Pacific grade, now abandoned, I was surprised and caught out of position by a westbound Amtrak California Zephyr. Upon seeing some additional private cars tacked onto the rear of the train, I was compelled to "grab” what I could.

The first image shows a car painted in the orange and chocolate scheme of Iowa Pacific Holdings (SLRG1,Caritas) as well as an ex-ATSF superdome (BNSF 31, Bay View).

In the second picture we see two cars from the original California Zephyr. Owned by the CB&Q, the Silver Lariat and the Silver Solarium are bringing up the rear of the train. It should be noted that the regular route of the California Zephyr would have taken it over the Western Pacific rather than here on the Southern Pacific.

Donner Summit, Part One

Here we see an eastbound Union Pacific train at the highest point on the old Central Pacific Railroad.

While the original route made it through the first summit tunnel (Tunnel Six) in 1868, the train you see here is in the process of making its way through a much longer tunnel that was dug in 1925. The more circuitous route, over the summit and through Tunnel Six, among others, remained active until 1993. Currently there is only this single track that crests the Great Basin here.