Originally Posted by
Jabber Wookie
Actually, the train robbery was very similar as well... However, train robberies are common in Westerns, period. And Firefly was most likely regurgitating that scenario with their sci-fi take on it, which makes it seem somewhat similar but overall is just a typical Western thing.
And there is a very straightforward allusion... There's a cheat called "Jaynestown," which gives you a resource grant, clearly based off the episode Jaynestown in which Jayne is the undeserving hero of a city in which he dropped money upon to lighten the weight of his get-away ship.