You need to shift to the left a few hundred yards at midnight!

Well, I did the calculation, and surprised myself. The planet, it turns out, is pretty big. One second is a big leap!

I accordingly availed myself of the day on which, at that
time, scarcely a single train or engine would be in motion
upon it.

Upon one of these Sundays, which were, in fact, the only
really safe days, I had proposed to investigate the effect of
considerable additional weight. With this object, I had
ordered three waggons laden with thirty tons of iron to be
attached to my experimental carriage.

On my arrival at the terminus a few minutes before the
time appointed, my aide-de-camp informed me that we were
to travel on the north line. As this was an invasion of the
usual regulations, I inquired very minutely into the authority
on which it rested. Being satisfied on this point, I desired
him to order my train out immediately. He returned shortly
with the news that the fireman had neglected his duty, but that
the engine would be ready in less than a quarter of an hour.

A messenger arrived soon after to inform me that the
obstructions had been removed, and that I could now pass
upon the south, which was the proper line.

I was looking at the departure of the only Sunday train,
and conversing with the officer, who took much pains to
assure me that there was no danger on whichever line we
might travel; because, he observed, when that train had
departed, there can be no engine except our own on either line
until five o'clock in the evening.

Whilst we were conversing together, my ear, which had
become peculiarly sensitive to the distant sound of an engine,
told me that one was approaching. I mentioned it to my
railway official: he did not hear it, and said, "Sir, it is
impossible." — "Whether it is possible or impossible," I said, "an
engine is coming, and in a few minutes we shall see its steam."
The sound soon became evident to both, and our eyes were
anxiously directed to the expected quarter. The white cloud
of steam now faintly appeared in the distance; I soon
perceived the line it occupied, and then turned to watch my
companion's countenance. In a few moments more I saw it
slightly change, and he said, "it is, indeed, on the north
line."

Knowing that it would stop at the engine house, I ran as
fast I could to that spot. I found a single engine, from
which Brunel, covered with smoke and blacks, had just
descended. We shook hands, and I inquired what brought my
friend here in such a plight. Brunel told me that he had
posted from Bristol, to meet the only train at the furthest
point of the rail then open, but had missed it. "Fortunately,"
he said, I found this engine with its fire up, so I ordered it
out, and have driven it the whole way up at the rate of fifty
miles an hour."

I then told him that but for the merest accident I should
have met him on the same line at the rate of forty miles...

Goodness me, time is difficult, but that's no good reason to be colliding trains at great speed! Thanks for the interesting info. There's a Babbage anecdote about a near-miss on the Great Western line, caused by the assumption (not his) that on a Sunday it would be safe to use the wrong line...Chapter XXV, Railways. "ESCAPES MEETING BRUNEL."

Edit: but my fileserver did at least report the leap:

The interesting aspect of Babbage's story is that it was about a scheduling error on a north-south line, on which time reckoning errors would be inherently less likely than on an east-west route.

Actually, no, the Great Western line is the major East West line in the southern UK. The north track would be inbound to London (where Babbage was) and the south track would be outbound to Bristol and (eventually) beyond...

- UK trains drive on the left.

(We generally have paired tracks, which perhaps we can better afford because distances are not so great.)

In Switzerland trains drive on the left as well