Although we took this train as a round trip tour, it also operates as a flag stop service, allowing passengers to hop on and off as they please. To disembark, they notify the conductor of the milepost where they wish to stop.  To get back on, they  wave of a flag.  These people use the Alaska Railroad as their lifeline to haul necessary goods from the larger cities back to their homes in the wilderness. We saw people taking off groceries, tires, and building materials.  The area around Twin Bridges was really beautiful.  We were able to stop and get off the train to look for salmon.  We saw trout, but no salmon.   I also met Mary Lovel who has written books about her experiences homesteading the Alaska frontier.  She autographed my copy of “Journey to a Dream”.