Here's a closer and older (Feb 2000) picture of the blue, ex-Lehigh Valley, ex-Conrail U23B switcher 2779 when the plant was briefly operated by Tarmac.

Link: 2004

After Tarmac came Vulcan Materials who, by comparison, has lived long and prospered. Though the decades have taken their toll on its paint, the switcher has lived long as well.

Change for: a rock delivery here

The mineral plant's elevator rises behind CSX 8414 while the engine waits for the red signal to clear. The bridge behind the signal is that of MD 32.

Zooming from the same spot as the prior photo shows the elderly cantilever signal stand. It's only after surveying most of the route that I've grown to appreciate this rusty survivor. In fact, it was the only one of its vintage on the Washington Branch.

This is an 8-lamp CPL, an uncommon breed. Most CPLs maxed out at 6 lamps, choosing to go naked at the NW and SE slots. Eight-lampers are installed where there is the occasional need to display what is known as a "Rule 290" Restricted Speed signal, a warning that unsignalled track lay ahead.

As of May 2013 this signal is no longer extant: CSX replaced it with their newer-style signals.

Links: 1983, 1983, 2013

The standard "roster shot" angle is one you won't see very often at this Web site. This time it serves to illustrate this engine's gray paint scheme. Henkel's Restaurant had stood where the photog is for this shot.

I am uncertain whether the 1930s photo of Henkel's at right looks toward the railroad or away from it. That might be a B&O penstock (water for steam engines) at the photo's right edge. An all-but-forgotten creek still flows under the tracks here, and emerges southeast of the aggregates facility.

Until it closed in 1997, Henkel's was located within a ~100 year old Annapolis Junction building formerly occupied by Howard's Hotel and an Adams Express Company office. The restaurant was famous for its overstuffed sandwiches, and was a favorite of railroad crews. A menu dating to the 1980s appears at right. During 1999 the building was intentionally burned down for a fireman training exercise.

Links: Henkel's history, 1983, switcher + Henkels 1992

During the 2010s, CSX upgraded the stretch west from Annapolis Junction with new signals, switches, and track. The switch near photo center suggests room for expansion, possibly a new Savage station siding for MARC trains.

In the distance, multi-deck parking for commuters is under construction adjacent to the MARC station. Two years later another parking deck would be built on the right. The edge of expanding Fort Meade is two miles to the east.

Link: Fort Meade info

The newer of the two parking decks provides this view of the action. Unfortunately it also blocks the view somewhat from the older deck.

With some luck, you'll see less common autoracks such as these articulated units that go by names such as Bi-Max and AutoMax.

CSX has retained B&O's name for this spot: PA Tower, which was the first tower west of HX in Halethorpe. The code names, often two letters, were also the telegraph call signs of the tower, and usually incorporated letters of a town or nearby geographic feature, in this case Patuxent. PA tower had been located immediately behind the photographer on the southeast side of the tracks, where Brock Bridge Road meets Washington Street.

Links: PA Tower closed, 1953 at PA Tower? may be another location since building does not look like Henkels

Neglected, forgotten and hiding in weeds was original mile stone 18, 18 rail miles from Baltimore. The opposite side of the marker had the mileage engravings, but was partially obscured by a discarded slab of concrete which was pushing the marker and causing it to lean. This is not a very respectful way to treat a loyal worker who had been on the job since around 1835.

I was unable to refind the stone marker while visiting the site during 2014.

During 2007 this caboose was rescued from Caboose Row along Hammonds Ferry Road then given the makeover seen below.

B&O cabooses were usually painted red. This one is blue for the Royal Blue train, B&O's celebrated service between New York and Washington.

Link: more pics at trainorders.com

Autoracks often jockey back and forth here as they split apart or are trained together at Jessup terminal in lengths approaching 3 miles. At right, the restored caboose supervises from the former grounds of Camp Kelsey.

Camp Kelsey was established during the 1860s for Union soliders of the US Civil War. After the war, the site was transformed into the Rulison U.S.A. Hospital for injured soldiers.

Rail company logos of differing eras roll by on passing autoracks.

This "Owned by a bank or finance company..." stencil on some autoracks is a requirement of an agreement between railcar lessor and lessee that is spelled out in the dense legal document linked below.

"(j) As soon as reasonably practicable, place decals, plates and/or such other marks, legends, or decals on the Containers to indicate that such Containers are owned by Owner and that they may be subject to a security interest in favor of one or more financial institutions. Manager may also label the Containers with all of its customary labels, marks and decals and/or to indicate that they are managed by Manager. The cost of placing all such marks, legends or decals on the Containers shall be included in the Per Container Price and Total Invoice Price paid by Owner."

Link: 2006 Form F-6 of Acom Co, Ltd.

Before the newer parking deck got in the way, the older one facilitated a long, clear view.

Link: 1996

Old crossties are loaded onto, ironically, trucks for disposal.

A D sign on a post all its own is not common, usually they share their placement with signals.

The Annapolis Junction name had almost been squeezed out of existence as Jessup intruded from the northeast and Savage from the southwest before in 2013 the developer of the land on the left changed the project name from Savage to Annapolis Junction. Eventually this MARC commuter rail stop will probably be renamed too.

Link: AnnapolisJunction.com

MARC 57 has just discharged evening commuters, and now it has a green light to continue toward Baltimore. This 8-lamp CPL is no longer extant.

On a rainy winter day this is the view of westbound trains shortly after they depart Savage Station. Brock Bridge Road parallels the tracks.

A map from around 1900 shows a road split off here to the left, headed south, crossed the Patuxent River and connected into what is now the Russett Community accessed via Rt. 198.

Link: 1985

The Washington Corridor Industrial Park spur/branch serves the area around the Little Patuxent Water Treatment Plant.

Back on the main line, this is the view southwest at mile marker 19. There was no mile stone here that I could find, but there was a old "mile marker on a rail" hidden in the brush on the opposite side of the tracks.

Link: 1986

Continuing south, the next significant structure along the Washington Branch is this bridge over the Little Patuxent River in Savage. At one time, a Bollman Bridge spanned the river here, but now this rather plain one does the job. This is the location of the very first Bollman Bridge installed by B&O. Before the Bollman, a 50-foot single (!) arched stone bridge was used, but it washed out in a flood on October 7, 1847.

To obtain this view, look carefully through the trees while driving past on Brock Bridge Road.

Here's the view from trackside looking south.

A plaque on this corner of the steel structure says it was built by the "American Bridge Company, U.S.A. 1920".

Between the bridge and the tall signal tower in the distance, the Patuxent Branch veers off to the right (northwest). The Patuxent Branch is the subject of the next page of this tour.

Link: Real-time USGS stream flow data near this location

At one time, B&O considered starting its Metropolitan Branch (the shortcut that connects Washington and the Old Main Line) here. The route would have followed the Patuxent River, then branched to Gaithersburg, then up to the OML. Had that route been chosen, land development in central Maryland would have progressed quite differently (for example, less undeveloped room for the town of Columbia?).