* ActorInspiredElement: Jaime Lee Curtis came up with the idea that the killer should rip Alana's hoop earring off during the climatic fight.
* AwesomeDearBoy: Ben Johnson agreed without even reading the script because he was a fan of director Roger Spottiswoode.
* CastTheExpert: Ken the Magician is played RealLife StageMagician David Copperfield.
* CompletelyDifferentTitle:
** Denmark: ''The Massacre in the Night Train''
** France: ''The Train Monster''
** Germany: ''Monster in the Night Express''
** Greece: ''Massacre on the Death Train''
** Sweden: ''Dark Night: Bloody New Year's Night''
** Thailand: ''Devil's Railcar''
* CreatorBacklash: David Copperfield is on record as wanting "to rent every copy of this video and not return them".
* DarkHorseCasting: Derek [=McKinnon=] was a drag performer who had never been in a film before, and was only accompanying a friend to the auditions. He was asked to try out and did so, assuming it was a bit part. After four call backs, he was cast and only then did he realise he was a lead in a film with Jamie Lee Curtis.
* HostilityOnTheSet:
** Roger Spottiswoode didn't get along with Derek [=McKinnon=] too well, as the latter was not used to film and the need to show up on time and have contracts.
** Derek also didn't get on with Creator/HartBochner, claiming he "irritated the crap" out of him during filming - going on to say that his favorite scene was [[spoiler: where he got to kill him]].
* TypeCasting: Jamie Lee Curtis in one of her quintessential FinalGirl roles. She actually shot this back to back with ''Film/PromNight1980''.
* WagTheDirector: Positive example. Ben Johnson told the director that he could cut any lines he wanted, because he felt he wouldn't need as many (having learned that working with John Ford).
* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
** A remake was in development, but it eventually [[DivorcedInstallment evolved]] into the ''Film/{{Hostel}}''-esque ''[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1015474/ Train]]'' (which retains the ''Terror Train'' title in Japan). A proper remake was made and released on Tubi in 2022.
** Derek [=McKinnon=] was asked to share a kiss scene with Ben Johnson while disguised as the assistant, but he refused. The latter found out about this and talked him around, so the scene was filmed but ended up cut.
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