While the crew attempts to lower things onto the moving train with a helicopter, it conveniently changes from overhead-powered electric to diesel. Immediately afterwards, it changes back.
The locomotive that pulls the train into the yard is a different one from the one that hauled the train all the way from Geneva. There are other inconsistencies between shots as the train makes its way across the landscape.
The time on the station clocks indicate 09:20 when the majority of characters board the train, 11:28 when the camera points toward the back of the train as Jennifer Chamberlain is boarding the departing train, 09:05 when the camera points to the front of the train as Jennifer Chamberlain is boarding the train, 09:22 in the first b-roll shot of the train leaving the station and then 09:21 shortly afterward.
When the two sections of the train are separated, the brakes in both sections would be applied automatically stopping both sections of the train, presumably stopping both before reaching the bridge.
The train departs from Genève with a Swiss locomotive but arrives in Nuremberg with an Italian locomotive bearing a fake SBB sign. Then departs to Poland with a French diesel locomotive (the SNCF sign is visible), which, in any case, couldn't carry enough fuel to travel as far as East Poland.
Unlike American and Russian railways that use automatic couplers, the European train couplers follow a chain-and-hook principle. They are coupled by hand and it is almost impossible to be uncoupled in motion, when they are under tension. The simplest way to stop a train is to use the emergency brake handles, which are visible many times in the movie and couldn't be canceled or bypassed in that era rolling stock. You can also cut a brake hose or use the handbrakes, as in one of the last scenes.
At 54 minutes, in response to his ex-wife Jennifer's concern about catching the disease, Dr. Jonathan Chamberlain tells her to "stop breathing which is how the disease is transmitted." He tells her survival is dependent on natural immunity, fate, and god. In 1918 people wore masks to reduce airborne transmission. In 1976, "a brilliant neurosurgeon" should have known the value of putting on a mask. He also told her to stop washing her hands, as that would do no good.
The train departs from Genève with a Swiss locomotive but arrives in Nuremberg with an Italian locomotive having a fake SBB sign. Then departs to Poland with a French diesel locomotive (the SNCF sign is visible), which, in any case, couldn't carry enough fuel to travel as far as East Poland.
Unlike American and Russian railways that use automatic couplers, the European train couplers follow a chain-and-hook principle. They are coupled by hand and it is almost impossible to be uncoupled in motion, when they are under tension. The simplest way to stop a train is to use the emergency brake handles, which are visible many times in the movie and can't be canceled or bypassed in that era rolling stock. You can also cut a brake hose or use the handbrakes, as in one of the last scenes.
A name station on a building where the train is passing in Poland is misspelled.
It says KSZEMIENIEC where in fact it's Krzemieniec with 'r'. Also it's located in a different part of the country.
The train is meant to be leaving from Geneva, but all the departure scenes are at Basel SBB station, the main Swiss station in Basel. Green liveried (still to be seen in 2012) Basel trams can be seen more than once. No on-the-ground railway filming took place in Geneva. This is made even more amusing by the announcements in the background mentioning the next stop as Basel several times.
If the bridge hadn't been used for such a long time, the tracks would have been rusty. However, in at least one shot, their upper surfaces are shiny, indicating regular usage.
When the first terrorist dies, before the nurse covers his face with a sheet, it's clearly seen that both of his eyelids move.
When the train reaches the area where it is going to be 'sealed' it is shown in a very high mountainous region. In fact, a train traveling in the direction that this train is meant to be going would pass through fewer, not more high mountainous areas.
The train is meant to go from Geneva, past Basel to Nuremburg, then into Poland. This would be a convoluted and illogical route even for a diverted train and would take quite a long time.
Several characters say that people used to live under the Cassandra Crossing, but then moved away. The only thing under the crossing is a river.
A very general map of Europe shown at the beginning of the film is full of misspelled cities in Poland and their locations are scattered out of place and proportions. Examples: place called VUGOD is supposed to be Godów, KNORW - Knurów, ZIWIEC - ZYWIEC.
Also a place called Janov, Poland (Janów) does not exist in that area as described, the only real place called that is far north, couple hundred of kilometers from the train.
When the infected man on the train is discovered and the plan is devised to take him off the plane by helicopter, it is stated that the train should not stop to prevent any infected persons from getting off and spreading the disease. There is no logical reason why anyone would believe this explanation from the colonel who has no authority over the train system (even if he has an ulterior motive for keeping the train moving). At this point no one except the doctor, his ex-wife, the conductor and the radio man are the only ones on the train who know about the disease. There is no conceivable reason why anyone whose destination is Paris, Stockholm, etc. would just suddenly get off the train at some random spot in the middle of nowhere, particularly if the conductor locked the doors and it was announced that it was just a temporary stop due to traffic ahead. That would make it a cinch for the helicopter to pick up the infected person, but of course that would eliminate the exciting train/copter chase.