Gaffes

Van Horne's first name is different in the film than it is in the credits.

The Métis people are often discussed, but their name is mispronounced in this film. It should be "MAY-tee", not "MET-is."

At the end of the film when the Indians come into the camp they speak in their own language, which needs to be translated by the pastor. Yet when the pastor (who the leader of railroad gang is speaking to the Indians through) explains the railroad's decision to the Indians he speaks English back to Indians; leaving us to wonder how the Indians now understand English.

Understanding English and speaking English are two different things.

Several times we hear the engine's whistle blow the distinctive four blasts for a crossing; but there are no crossings yet at the railhead.

Since there are no crossings yet, the train whistles must be just for the fun of it.

In the starting five-minute sequence of the film, showing a train on the then-contemporary (circa 1949) Canadian Pacific Railroad, engine number 5983, fitted with a small, buffer-height snow plough, pulls out on the train. Shortly after, it's engine 5927 of the same class, with no snow plough, hauling the train. Next, it's engine 5926 of the same class but with an unreadable side number, as it's much dirtier. After that, it's a different class of engine, double-heading the train with an unidentified engine of the earlier class.

The assorted train montage during the introductory narration is not part of the story.

When the Indians are about to attack, Tom and the workers are alerted by the sound of drums. In reality, the Indians would not use drums while attacking.

Unless they wanted to. They do have the drums. There's nothing preventing them. Using their rifles and lances would be more efficacious though.

The Bailey's Saloon tent that's torn down by the train at Tom Andrews' (Randolph Scott) direction was considerably smaller than the one in which the action scenes were filmed earlier.

In the movie dynamite is used. But at the time, dynamite was a fairly recent invention, and was not yet in common use in Canada. In building the CPR, nitroglycerin was used instead.

Nancy Olson's hair styles, costumes, and general demeanor are all strictly in the 1949 mode, despite the fact that the story is taking place in the mid-1880s.

During the opening political meeting, the words spoken by the meeting attendees often do not match the movements of their mouths (i.e. the looping is obvious).

Dynamite is in frequent use, apparently as part of preparing the roadbed. But at this point they are laying track across level prairie, where no blasting is required.