Tony Koester shows modelers how to turn to the real thing – natural land forms, crops, forests, water features, and even the seasons, to get better results on their model railroad layouts. What are the critical – and “model-able” – differences between the Rockies and the Appalachian Mountains, for example, and what resources can help modelers achieve a natural-looking scene from each area? These big ideas are supported by modeling projects as examples of incorporating realistic natural effects including rock strata, water forms, field crops, and space-saving industries.