How to identify a train from a photograph
A useful identification is built from several visible clues. Start with what the photograph actually shows, then narrow the possibilities with a reference.
Read the guide →THE TRAIN DEX FIELD GUIDE
Get more from every sighting.
Start here whether you use the app or keep a paper notebook. These guides focus on observable evidence, useful photographs and records you can correct later.
Photographing trains for identification
The best collection photo and the most useful identification photo are not always the same frame. A small set of complementary views is often more helpful than one heavily cropped image.
Read the guide →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.
Read the guide →Published by MboShu. Reviewed 9 October 2026. These are general workflows, not live service information or reports of journeys we have made.