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.
By MboShu · Reviewed 9 October 2026
Choose a permitted, predictable position
Stay in areas open to the public, follow station instructions and remain behind platform safety markings. Never enter the track area or climb railway equipment for an angle. Keep paths, doors and boarding areas clear. Check local photography rules before using extra equipment. If a shot would require stepping into a restricted area, skip it. A missed photograph is better than an unsafe position or obstructing people who are travelling.
Capture the outline and the details
If conditions allow, take a three-quarter view that includes the cab and several side doors or windows. A tight front-on crop may hide the formation, while a distant side view may hide the cab. Take a second frame of a readable number or marking when you can do so without moving into an unsafe position. Keep the original wide view, even if a close crop looks better in a card: it provides context for later identification.
Check blur before the train leaves
Inspect the photo at full size. Motion blur can turn two separate lights into one shape, and glare can conceal a window line. Brace the phone comfortably and take more than one frame if you have time. When photographing through a carriage window, move away from reflections where possible and avoid relying on a flash against glass. There is no single camera setting that works for every phone, speed and light level; check the result rather than assuming the camera has captured the detail.
Select the image that answers the question
For online identification, choose a frame in which the train occupies a useful part of the image and the distinguishing features are visible. Avoid a collage containing several unrelated trains. If another train is prominent in the background, crop to the subject while retaining its cab and enough of the side. Do not sharpen or edit a number until uncertain shapes look like definite digits. Keep an unedited original so a later correction can be checked against the actual capture.
Keep the record useful and considerate
Record the date and a station name if you know it. If you are importing an older image, use the date of the sighting rather than the date of import. Review the picture for identifiable people before sharing it publicly. Train Dex stores collection photographs locally; online recognition sends the selected image to the recognition service. Keeping a photo on your phone and choosing to upload it are different actions. Back up your original photographs separately when they matter to you.