Due to its popularity among fans, AC/DC has performed it over 250 times as of December 2024, making it one of the group's top thirty most-played pieces (above earlier released tracks with related titles such as "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)" and "Rock 'n' Roll Damnation").

[1] Originally composed with the title "Runaway Train",[4] the song was first heard by fans on 15 August 2008, at the shooting of its music video in London.

Many Australian stations played the song straight after their 4:00 pm news services.

The song made its North American debut on 28 August on CKQB-FM in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

On 30 August 2008, the first Saturday of the U.S. college football season, the song was played extensively on ESPN and ABC college football broadcasts as intro and bumper music, along with other AC/DC songs "Thunderstruck" and "For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)".

[9] Throughout the month of November, the World Wrestling Entertainment website featured the music video for "Rock 'N' Roll Train", as well as the song "Spoilin' for a Fight", which was the theme to the Survivor Series 2008.

On 15 August 2008, AC/DC filmed the music video to accompany the song in London, where 150 contest winners and their guests were present.

[13] In 2018 "Rock 'n' Roll Train" was voted number 6 by Absolute Radio listeners in their "Song of our Decade" poll.