This is Mike Confalone's Railroad Explorer that he produces in hardcopy form for about $11 per issue, cover price. The digital eBook version is just $5.99. It has no ads, just lots of fabulous photography and railfan stories.

Here's some comments Mike sent to me about how he feels about MRH publishing the digital editions of his photo journal:

Can't quite find the words to describe Explorer #40! Absolutely spectacular. The photos look unworldly. I did all of the color work on all of those images when prepping them for print, but I've never "seen" them look like this. Simply amazing. I probably said all this last time around, but seriously, it's beyond impressive.

Yes, I'm biased, but our eBooks keep getting better and better. When I pull up RREX40 Kindle edition in the Kindle viewer on my PC and go full screen, it's simply stunning. The photos are crystal clear and it's like a great big coffee table railroad photo book on my computer.On an iPad or other tablet, I can zoom into the photos up to 300% and study every little detail - what a great modeling asset!

Here's a screen grab to demonstrate how the Kindle Edition gone to full screen looks like a digital coffee table book ... click the image and go full screen to appreciate it. A hardbound coffee table book costs $60-$70 - getting this level of visual quality for only $5.99 is a steal.

(click to enlarge)

Each issue of Railroad Explorer is loaded with page after page of images like this, and railfan stories to go with them. As of RREX39, Mike has expanded Railroad Explorer to cover all eastern prototypes, rather than just New England roads. 

If you're into eastern US prototype railroading, the Railroad Explorer series gives you a photo library that can't be beat.

At least for me, clicking the image doesn't enlarge it.  Opens it, but remains the same size and won't allow me to zoom.  Google Chrome.  Great-looking photo though.  

Randy

Google Chrome as well - clicked on the image and it opened up, somewhat larger, and I had the + sign cursor that let me expand it even more. 

Try it now ... I changed the image link to open in a popup full sized, and to have scroll bars if it won't fit on your screen.

My screen is pretty large, and at full screen the full-page photos with captions are simply awesome. Can you tell I'm excited about this eBook? I know of no one else doing model and prototype railroading eBooks the way we are.

Thanks Joe. 

I'm very happy with the finished product. As Editor and Publisher of Railroad Explorer Magazine for the past 14 years, I must say this digital edition is just spectacular. I've always been an ink and paper guy, and in many ways I still am. But having this digital edition just puts it over the top. The color saturation and resolution of the photos on an ipad is beyond belief. This is NOT just a PDF of the print mag. It lays out differently and works incredibly well in ibooks.

The paper edition of Issue #41 - Spring/Summer 2014 - is just arriving at subscribers and dealers. Hopefully Joe can crank out the digital edition of #41 real soon, and have these available going forward on a timely basis. We publish three issues per year - Winter, Spring/Summer and Fall. If all goes as planned, the digital edition will follow each print edition within 30 days. 

If you are a fan and/or a modeler of Eastern railroading, or just love railroading in general and appreciate great photography, you might want to take a look at Railroad Explorer. We're certainly not the biggest, but we try hard to be the best. 

Mike Confalone

I'm not an eastern modeler but I downloaded it anyway, to see the quality, and it is cheaper (for me over here in Europe) than most magazines, even the online versions.
The quality is truly excellent!

Brian

I have been buying ( at AA hobbies) and reading this magazine for years and am somewhat prejudice since I live in New England and the Focus has been New England. I know the geographic area has been expanded, but it  makes it a bit more appealing to other geographic areas.. A great publication and fantastic photography and great stories.. 

Hey Joe, is the coverage mostly today or recent stuff and if not how far back in prototype time do the mags go and what is the relationship (rough percentage) historical to today or say last ten to twenty years? I'm interested in pre 1960 in the Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Virginia areas.

It would be real helpful to me if a table of contents was available to view. Quality of items from your endeavors is not the question as I know that will be good. Content of interest to me is the only question that deals with the publications.

Thanks.

Rob in Texas

It's almost exclusively diesel era stuff. Once I get back from Cleveland, I'll post a sampler of each RREX volume we offer.

Thanks Joe, it sounds like most of it will be after my era but it just might help with some of my diesel models, looking forward to your posts.

Rob in Texas