How would you like to walk (safely) in a nearby railroad tunnel that has walls covered with artistic graffiti? Read on.

After the merger of Union Pacific and Southern Pacific railroads in the mid-1990s, a portion of the railroad line near Donner Summit was abandoned and the tracks and ties were removed. The tunnel is still there. It is a fascinating place to visit this time of year.



Chinese laborers constructed the tunnel with picks and black powder for Central Pacific Railroad in the 1860s as part of the country’s first transcontinental railroad, which still passes through historic Truckee. Today there are many murals on the concrete walls that one protected the track from winter avalanches.



One easy way to get to the tunnel system is to take old Highway 40 (replaced now by I-80) westward along the north edge of Donner Lake, just west of Truckee. Drive up the winding, 2-lane road to the summit where there is a parking area and an overlook at the arch bridge. Park.



Now walk back down the south side of the road about 150 yards to a pull out along the road. There you will find a plaque for the “China Wall.” Scramble up the rocks to the railroad right-of-way just above. Walk eastward along the old track bed and into the tunnel. The murals are quite striking. If you move into the tunnel very far, you may need a flashlight.



The whole summit area is rich in history. This hike offers a first-hand look at the evolution of transportation over Donner Pass. There were stagecoach roads during gold rush-era and 19th century railroad construction using picks and black powder. Far below you is I-80 and gem-like Donner Lake, as well as the railroad tracks used today.



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Side Note: Graffiti in Urban Areas
As a matter of possible interest, on July 31, 2008, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law legislation that requires those convicted of vandalism to remove the graffiti and keep the tagged surfaces clean for one year. The measure was sponsored by Los Angeles, which has seen a significant increase in graffiti in the last three years, from 25 million square feet of painted surface in 2005 to 31.7 million square feet this year.

To give you an idea of how bad the situation is in L.A., in 2007 the city received reports of graffiti at 653,520 locations, 40,000 more than the year before. The new law makes it mandatory, instead of discretionary, for a
court to order a defendant who is convicted of graffiti vandalism to clean up or repair the property when feasible.

I do support the measure and I hope that it becomes an effective tool for controlling the explosion of gang-related graffiti that blights our urban landscapes. However, I hope law enforcement continues to look the other way when it comes to the spray painted murals hidden deep in the darkness of the Donner Summit railroad tunnels.

Story and photos copyright 2008 by Mark McLaughlin