From JD (MP 33.6), also known as Alexandria Junction, where the Alexandria Extension (the freight line bypassing Washington Union Station) joins in at a wye on the east side of the line, the double-track, CTC, line, continues north-northeast, with overall speed limits 70 mph for passenger trains and 55 mph for freight trains, past a road bridge overhead, the MARC station at Riverdale (MP 32.7), the Washington Metro Green Line alongside to the east, the MARC station (two side platforms) at College Park (MP 31.4), with the Green Line station just to the east, a wide road bridge overhead (the Beltway), Berwyn (MP 30.2), where the line turns northeast, the MARC station at Greenbelt (MP 29.0), where the Green Line ends in its station alongside to the east, a road bridge overhead, a grade crossing, Intermediate Signals at Sunnyside (MP 28.0), a road bridge overhead, Intermediate Signals at Beltsville (MP 27.1),two bridges over drainage, and crossovers at Annendale (MP 25.8).
There is extra track on the east side, a road bridge overhead, a MARC station (2 side platforms, parking lot to the east) at Muirkirk, a road bridge overhead, Intermediate Signals at Contee (MP 23.6), a housing area, a road bridge overhead, a bridge over a street, dual road bridges overhead, detectors at MP 21.7, the MARC station (two side platforms on a viaduct) at Laurel (MP 21.3), a bridge over a street, a bridge over a river, a passenger speed limit 65 mph from MP 20.8 to MP 19.5, a former MARC station at Savage (MP 19.4), where the Savage Industrial Track heads away north-northwest, on the west side, a road bridge overhead, a bridge over a stream and a bridge over a river in the woods..
The line turns east-northeast, past a road alongside to the east, a road bridge overhead, the MARC station (two side platforms, parking lot to the west) at Savage Station (MP 18.1), PA Tower at Fort Meade Junction (MP 17.6), where a line into Fort Meade once headed southeast, a spur curves away northeast, extra track on the west side, dual road bridges overhead (SR 32), two extra tracks on the east side, and CSX tracks at a higher level on the west side, and the line turns northeast, past a road bridge overhead, the MARC station (two side platforms) at Jessup (MP 15.8), a grade crossing, a spur trailing in from the east, a wooded area, Intermediate Signals, the MARC station (two side platforms, on a viaduct) at Dorsey (MP 13.4), dual road bridges overhead at the station, a street alongside to the east, that then ends, a grade crossing, and Intermediate Signals at Hanover, where it edges north-northeast.
There is a 35-30 speed limit sign, the closed MARC station at Elk Ridge, a bridge over a street, dual road bridges overhead (I-895), a bridge over a road below, the curving landmark Thomas Viaduct across the Patapsco River, where the line turns northeast across the bridge, and then east at Relay, where the original B&O "Old Main Line" trails in from the west-northwest, along the Patapsco River valley. The passenger train speed limit drops to 60 mph from MP 11.7 to 11.0, and the speed limits drop to 35 mph for passenger and 30 mph from MP 10.1 to MP 6.7.