Deliberate mistake: The entire plot wouldn't exist without this one, but just before the engineer stumbles out the door and falls off, he pulls the big red lever on the left side of the cab. In the real world this puts the air brake system into its emergency mode. Among other things, this mode trips a solenoid which causes the engine to return to idle, and the electrical system to not put out power. Neither the Diesel engine nor the electrical system will respond to control inputs until/unless the air system is reset.
Runaway Train (1985)
1 deliberate mistake
Directed by: Andrey Konchalovskiy
Starring: Jon Voight, Eric Roberts, Rebecca De Mornay, Kyle T. Heffner
Continuity mistake: When Signal Maintainer 40 opens the door to the truck while Barstow is trying to reach him over the radio, the wind is howling so loudly. However, a few seconds later when he goes to sip his coffee and hears the train whistle, he rolls down the window to listen and there is no wind. Then, when Barstow commands him to "line her through," he opens the door and the wind is howling again.
Manny: You do what you have to do, I'll do what I have to do. Whatever happens, happens.
Trivia: In the film Eric Robert says jokingly to Sara "Why are we here? I'll tell you why...We're on our way to Las Vegas to see our good friend Wayne Newton." In Best of the Best 2 (1993) Eric Roberts arrives at Las Vegas at the end to stop a fight, which is being hosted by Wayne newton.
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Chosen answer: Most likely from the speed at which the train was going, a train is like driving any large vehicle. You have to maintain a certain pace, to stop at an instant, for the unexpected.