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Antique stereoview photograph depicting a dramatic mountain cut and tunnel under construction, likelyCentral Pacific Railroad Tunnel No. 23 near Cisco, California, taken during the building of the first Transcontinental Railroad through the Sierra Nevada around 1868–1869.
The mount is plain and unmarked on the reverse, with handwritten text along the front reading “7 Cut No 23 Tunnel.” While the image is unlabeled and the photographer unknown, the subject, notation, and albumen print style closely match the Central Pacific construction series produced by Alfred A. Hart and others documenting this stretch of the line.
Shows striking detail of early engineering through rugged mountain terrain, with graded trackway and exposed granite slopes visible.
Condition:
Good antique condition with expected age toning, light edge wear, and some surface spotting consistent with 19th-century albumen prints. Corners are intact; image contrast remains strong.
Historical Context:
“Tunnel No. 23” was one of the Central Pacific’s key Sierra tunnels, located just east of Cisco, California — between Tunnels 22 and 24 near Donner Summit. This stretch represented one of the most challenging portions of the entire Transcontinental Railroad, with granite cuts and steep grades.
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