Transcontinental Railroad Tunnel #7 - Donner Summit
Posted by: Volcanoguy
N 39° 18.944 W 120° 19.285
10S E 730925 N 4355236
The old Transcontinental Railroad Tunnel #7 at Donner Summit.
Waymark Code: WMW0AP
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 06/20/2017
Views: 6
The Transcontinental Railroad was a 1,912-mile railroad line constructed between 1863 and 1869 that connected the existing eastern U.S. rail network at Omaha, Nebraska with the Pacific coast at Oakland, California. The Sierra Nevada Mountains were a major construction obstacle resulting in numerous tunnels. In 1993, several of the original tunnels at Donner Summit were abandoned with the completion of newer tunnels.
It took 2 years of work to complete Tunnel #6 at Donner Summit. While the summit tunnel was being drilled, crews hauled material over the summit on wagons and continued construction the grade and other tunnels and laying rail eastward. Tunnel #6 was bored though on August 30 1867. The first train rolled through 2 months later. By December 13th, 1867 a train rolled through to Nevada and by May 4th, 1868, the tracks were connected through to Reno. On May 10, 1869 the first transcontinental eastward and westward building met at Promontory Point, Utah, completing the link across America.
Tunnel #7 was originally about 100 feet long, but later the tunnel was turned into a through cut but winter snow problems resulted in a 270 foot long snow shed being constructed over the cut.
Waymark coordinates are at the east end of the snow shed. The recommended parking area is at the China Wall turnout on the Donner Pass Road (
visit link) .