- Cast the Expert: The man at the throttle of the Norfolk and Western steam locomotive ought to know a thing or two about how they work; he's none other than O. Winston Link, who spent many a years documenting the railroad's iconic engines throughout the 1950s up to their demise.
- Dawson Casting:
- William Lee Scott and Chad Lindberg were 24 and 21, respectively, playing 16-17 year olds Roy Lee and O'Dell when the movie was filmed.
- Averted with Jake Gyllenhaal and Chris Owen, who were 17 playing 16-17 year olds Homer and Quentin.
- Executive Meddling: The title was changed from "Rocket Boys" because executives believed that having "Boys" in the title would drive away female viewers.
- Irony as She Is Cast: The "Norfolk and Western" locomotive is played by 4501 of the Southern Railroad, the N&W's biggest rival.
- Meaningful Release Date: The film was released in the United States on February 19th, 1999, which was the 56th birthday of the real-life Homer Hickam.
- Working Title: The working title, "Rocket Boys" (also the name of Homer Hickham's memoir which the movie was based on), is an anagram of October Sky.
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