Building What’s in a Photo takes you from an interesting prototype photo all the way through to a finished project. We’ve gathered some of model railroading’s most talented builders to share their models and the images that inspired them. Perhaps some of these photos will inspire you to model these scenes, or to find your own projects sparked by photos you’ve found!

You’ll get a variety of projects, including:

• Prolific author Bernard Kempinski shows you how to research Civil War-era railroads.

• Contributing Model Railroader editor Lou Sassi turns photos he took “just in case” into a memorial to a landmark he passed on his way to work.

• Model where rail meets water with expert Paul J. Dolkos.

• Pop-up railcar scrapping, by M.R. Snell.

• And many more!

There are projects for every skill level, from re-creating a busy Long Island Rail Road junction using off-the-shelf kits to tips on scratchbuilding a steam locomotive from brass.