Build a train collection you can trust
A collection becomes more useful when it distinguishes the train class from the individual sighting. This lets repeat encounters add memories without inflating the number of classes you have found.
By MboShu · Reviewed 9 October 2026
Choose what you are counting
Train Dex collects by class or model. Photographing the same class on five different journeys creates five sightings but one collected class. A unit-number notebook measures something different: individual vehicles within a fleet. Decide which goal matters to you before comparing totals. Keep unit numbers in your sighting notes if you also enjoy tracking individual vehicles. A class collection can then remain simple while your notes retain the detail.
Give every sighting enough context
For each encounter, keep a photo, date and any station text you know. Separate things you saw from things you inferred. “Number partly obscured” or “operator logo visible” is more useful than a confident but unsupported class name. Imported photos can be worth recording even when their location is unknown. Leave an uncertain field blank rather than inventing a station or date to make the record look complete.
Correct the existing record
When you discover a misidentification, adjust the class on the original sighting. Check collection progress afterwards: if that was your only sighting of the old class, it should no longer count as collected. If you already have another sighting of the new class, the correction adds a repeat sighting rather than an extra distinct class. This is why an honest correction can reduce a total while improving the quality of the collection.
Treat rarity as a collecting prompt
Our four frame colours represent common, uncommon, epic and legendary collector tiers. They are curated ratings, not live probabilities or a guarantee that a train will be hard to see at a particular station. Your local route, the time of your trip and what is operating that day all affect your experience. Read the reason and source on a reference entry before using the tier to choose a goal. A common train can still be your most meaningful photograph.
Back up before you need the backup
Export a backup containing metadata and photos before changing phones or removing the app. Keep it somewhere independent of the device, such as a storage location you control. Check that the export exists and can be opened; a file name alone does not show that every photo was included. When testing restoration, compare the number of sightings, a few older photos, favourites and corrected classes. Do not delete your only copy while testing.
Make a modest next-trip checklist
Pick a small goal: one class you have not collected, one clearer image of an existing sighting, or one unresolved identification to research. Consult current operator information for your journey rather than assuming a catalogue entry guarantees a service. Afterwards, keep the unsuccessful observations too if they help explain a correction. A collection should document your encounters, not require you to complete every entry or pay for AI to keep a memory.