I love early mornings. That’s what I kept telling myself on the long drive to Gatwick for the 07:10 easyJet to Köln/Bonn and, in fairness, it was a fairly pleasant and hassle free journey, not least because I paid a bit extra to travel business class. Köln/Bonn must be one of the worst signposted airports anywhere and finding the car hire desks was an adventure in itself, as was finding my way out of the car park a few minutes later. Otherwise all went well and I was at the lineside somewhere north of Boppard around 11:20.

It didn’t take long to work out that there were some strange goings on railway wise and a good proportion of the InterCity trains were running on the right bank. I haven’t done a thorough check but I suspect that everything that’s wasn’t booked to stop between Mainz and Koblenz was diverted. Trains that were booked to stop somewhere on the left bank took their normal route including a good number of ICs, some of which were positively identifiable (those formed of SBB or ÖBB stock), the REs and locals. The 103 wasn’t booked to work today and IC118 was a 120 as anticipated. No freight was seen on the left bank.

In addition to the diverted ICs and the usual locals, the right bank was busy with freight, the vast majority of trains being hauled by DB class 185s. There was some variety in the form of a 145, Dispolok and Crossrail 185s and Railpool 186s but not a lot.

N of Boppard

Loco	Train No.	Train Details	Notes
101.080	EC9	06:30 Hamburg-Altona - Chur	11:58
101.105 propelling	IC2218	09:37 Stuttgart Hbf - Hamburg-Altona	12:12

Loreley Tunnel, S of St. Goarshausen

Loco	Train No.	Train Details	Notes
120.118 propelling	IC2024	07:18 Passau Hbf - Hamburg-Altona	13:11
185.130		NB Intermodal	13:17
101.032	IC2023	07:32 Hamburg-Altona - Frankfurt (M) Hbf	13:20
152.019		NB Intermodal	13:37
145.024		SB Intermodal	13:49
185.182		NB Freight	13:49
185.284		SB Freight	14:08
185.595 [XRAIL]		SB Intermodal	14:14

Wellmich, N of St. Goarshausen

Loco	Train No.	Train Details	Notes
185.141		SB Oil Tanks	14:36
185.xxx		NB Intermodal	14:40
152.070 152.079		SB Hoppers	14:46
185.xxx		NB Hoppers	14:46
185.xxx		NB Intermodal	14:53

Kaub

Loco	Train No.	Train Details	Notes
401.069	ICE1025	09:32 Hamburg-Altona - Frankfurt (M) Hbf	15:44
185.259 185.212		SB Hoppers	15:51
189.211 [DISPO]		SB Intermodal	16:15
185.592 [XRAIL]		NB Intermodal	16:18
185.096		SB Freight	16:19
185.184 185.051		SB Oil Tanks	16:24
185.566 [DISPO]		NB Intermodal	16:34
101.136	IC2022	15:44 Frankfurt (M) Hbf - Hamburg-Altona	16:45
140.855 140.808		SB Engineers Flats	16:46
185.338		SB Oil Tanks	16:49
185.127		SB Freight	16:54
185.547 [DISPO]		NB Hoppers	17:04
1216.954 [WLB]		SB Car Carriers	17:09
185.341		NB Freight	17:14
185.208		NB Freight	17:40
185.552 [DISPO]		SB Light Engine	17:40
261.058 294.586		NB Light Engines	18:00
101.127	IC2311	09:26 Westerland (Sylt) - Stuttgart Hbf	18:05
185.099		NB Freight	18:07
185.393		SB Vans	18:15
185.692 [RPOOL]		SB Oil Tanks	18:45
186.110 [RPOOL]		SB Light Engine	18:48