Until construction of the Parks Highway in the 1970s, the railroad provided the only land access to most of the region along its entire route.
ʌntˈɪl kənstɹˈʌkʃən ʌvðə pˈɑːɹks hˈaɪweɪ ɪnðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti z, ðə ɹˈeɪlɹoʊd pɹəvˈaɪdᵻd ðɪ ˈoʊnli lˈænd ˈæksɛs tə mˈoʊst əv ðə ɹˈiːdʒən ɐlˈɔŋ ɪts ɛntˈaɪɚ ɹˈaʊt.