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. 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. One image by Richard Koenig; taken on October 7th 2011.