Resuming where we left off on the Washington Branch, the Tropicana Juice Train is a blur as it rushes its cargo north past the Patuxent Branch at Savage.

In a non-stop run, the vibrant orange cars of the "Juice Train" transport chilled fruit juices from Florida to distribution facilities in New Jersey.

A tall color-position light (CPL) signal tower protects the crossovers near the Patuxent Branch.

Another juice train powers through the relatively undeveloped area at mile 20 (20 miles from Baltimore).

This curve between Savage and Laurel is one of the most severe on the relatively straight Washington Branch. Here Whiskey Bottom Road crosses above. The bridge dates from 1990, and the concrete slabs in the foreground are evidence of a prior bridge. I don't travel past here often, so I don't recall what had been here, or if it was a grade crossing.

Reader Bill Hebb wrote to say:

"In regards to the type of bridge at Whiskey Bottom Road over the Washington main, it was never a grade crossing. Prior to the current bridge, there was in the fifties and sixties a wood bottom bridge, improved around the early seventies with a macadam base and the wood made a tremendous racket when the horse vans crossed it.

"I trained horses at Laurel Race track from the mid sixties to the early eighties and crossed that bridge every day. The picture you show seems like a tremendous improvement, it used to be a rough decline from the road down to the bridge, than across the bridge and then a 30% decline of about ten feet to get to the level the back stable gate / entrance of LRC."

A statue of famous Maryland thoroughbred Billy Barton welcomes visitors to Laurel Park Racetrack. The disused stairs behind the horse's nose are relics of the racetrack's former life as the Maryland State Fairgrounds (which are now located in Timonium). They lead up to what had been long train platforms.

Vehicle access to the dual underpasses is regulated to discourage through traffic (the white poles are removable). This is one of only a few spots at which you can drive under the Washington Branch.

Link to older picture: Racetrack 1920

Above the underpasses, MARC (commuter) trains stop at the racetrack's tiny station. The 1911 date on this staircase puts its origin at the time of the state fairgrounds. Not seen behind me is a disused staircase that dates to 1953.

Within the red circle you might just be able to discern the face of a groundhog who calls this spot home. He dutifully watched me the entire time I was snapping photos.

Above the disused platform hangs a bishop's crook style lamp. I suspect this is still the original that was installed around 1910.

Despite being less than a half mile from the station in downtown Laurel, the tiny Laurel Racetrack Station still sees MARC train service largely thanks to the proximity of the racetrack. Yes, that wooden platform is the "station".

That 65 mph sign is the highest posted limit I've seen anywhere on CSX trackage in the region.

PW, 21, D, Burma Shave!

OK, I can figure out the 21, but what are the PW and D signs? Anyone?

Reader Charlie Wingate said, of the D sign:

"It is fallout from the MARC accident in Silver Spring, and tells push-pull trains to approach the next signal (assumed to be absolute) at medium speed. See this link: Bull sheet."

There is no original stone mile marker to be found at this location. Just past the bend is the downtown Laurel station.

Another bridge can be found spanning the Patuxent River (not to be confused with the Little Patuxent River) at Laurel. This bridge is a short distance south of the racetrack station and north of the downtown Laurel station.

Originally there was a single arch stone bridge here, but it was removed courtesy a flood in 1863. Probably one arch was not enough to handle the river, which is reasonably substantial at this point. The arch was likely replaced with a Bollman Bridge, followed later by the plain one you see here.

Not seen is the bicycle rider who came around a blind corner at high speed and nearly ran me down. The prior photo from this batch managed to include him in the image, and shows the surprised look on his face when he was just a few feet from barrelling into me. I knew railfanning could be dangerous, but not due to bicyclists!

Trivia: this spot is the southernmost point of Howard County.

This is the opposite view as a CSX freight speeds past on top, and a car bumps through the potholes on the old dirt road below. The bridge could use a coat of rust preventer.

Laurel's Main Street is seen here passing underneath the Washington Branch. The traffic light controls access to the single-lane underpass.

On the right, and depicted better in the next photo, is Laurel Station, still an active commuter stop. The text on the marker reads: "LAUREL RAILROAD DEPOT - Built by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 1884, this 'American Queen Anne' structure continues in daily use. The architect Francis R. Baldwin also designed the rear wing of the State House in Annapolis. This building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972."

A volunteer sunflower would rather watch the evening's rail traffic than look at the sun here at the Main Street bridge. This is the only single lane underpass along the Washington Branch.

Does anyone know when it was built? It looks old enough that the steel structure now present on top is not the original design.

A better view of Baldwin's gem.

Link to older pictures: Pics

Maryland Area Rail Commuters exit the last northbound train of a midsummer's evening.

Link: Vintage Rail Passenger Depots of Maryland

A view of the lead unit, MARC 63, as it pulls out of the station.

Does Amtrak serve Laurel? No, old habits die hard.

This discarded Amtrak ticket stub was blowing around the Laurel station platform. It looks to be from an Amtrak passenger who connected via MARC from Washington, DC to Laurel (and paid $40 for the privilege, much higher than normal MARC rates).

But note who Amtrak lists as the carrier: BO. The last time the B&O carried passengers along this route on its own was 1973! Since that time, the State of Maryland has gradually assumed responsibilities. Uniformed B&O employees were replaced by those of MARC in 1984.

GCFX 3055 and 3062 roll by Bowie Road. This is about as narrow as a 2-lane road underpass can get. The stone construction style of this structure would indicate it has been here for some time. This was a major road into Laurel before Rt. 198 was built.

In a practice that makes me think of southern California, Prince George's County is fond of controlling its streams via concrete channels like this one.

This photo looks downstream as the Bear Branch is oddly split into two, with the left side apparently flowing under the road, under the Bowie Road RR bridge. It is not obvious where these channels emerge on the other side.

The road sign on the left depicts a fire truck to warn motorists that a fire station is found ahead. I can't think of anywhere else I've see such a sign.