>Conductor Chris Pine steps between cars to couple up without asking for and receiving "three step" protection,

We used to do this all the time, before radios and pack sets dumbed things down.

>And the scene where the big GE's roll around a curve tipping up on one rail is simply a Hollywood fantasy.

I've seen this happen with real-live box cars in downtown SF. Had one engineer tell me it happened with his locomotive at Santa Clara. Another brakeman described scooping up ballast with the steps when going too fast through the turnout(s) at Elmhurst. There are AAR movies of loaded hopper cars rocking back and forth at speed, lifting the wheels several inches alternately off each rail head.