The Ohio Central Railroad System is a network of ten short line railroads operating in Ohio and western Pennsylvania. It is owned by Genesee & Wyoming
Headquartered in Coshocton, Ohio, the system operates of track divided among 10 subsidiary railroads. Most of the system's routes were divested from Class I railroads and connect industries to the Class I railroads.
The Ohio Central operates on track owned by other entities, including a line from Newark, Ohio to Mount Vernon, Ohio owned by CSX and the old Panhandle Route, owned by the State of Ohio.
Railroads in the system
Ohio Central's rail system comprises
Ohio Central Railroad
Ohio Southern Railroad
Columbus and Ohio River Rail Road, the former Pennsylvania Railroad Panhandle Route Mahoning Valley Railway Ohio & Pennsylvania Railroad Ohi-Rail Corporation Warren & Trumbull Railroad Youngstown & Austintown Railroad Youngstown Belt Railroad Pittsburgh & Ohio Central Railroad Aliquippa & Ohio River Railroad
Steam operations
As well as being a regular revenue railroad, the Ohio Central had its own steam department that operated steam locomotives for tourist trains, excursions, and special events. When owner Jerry Joe Jacobson sold OHCR in 2008, he maintained ownership of the antique equipment, including the collection of steam locomotives. He built the Age of Steam Roundhouse in Sugarcreek, Ohio to house that equipment. The collection includes the following:
Operational:
Canadian National 1551
Buffalo Creek & Gauley Railroad 13
Grand Trunk Western 6325
Southern Wood Preserving Company 3
Canadian Pacific 1293
Lake Superior and Ishpeming 33
Awaiting restoration:
Canadian National 96
Canadian Pacific 1278
Nickel Plate Road 763
Former engines: Baldwin Locomotive Works 26, was traded for Canadian National 1551 in 1986 to Steamtown. Reading 2100, sold in 1998 to Tom Payne, and it was moved to St. Thomas, Ontario. Mississippian Railway 76, sold in 2005 to the Steam Railroading Institute of Owosso, Michigan.
Jerry Jacobson died in 2017 at the age of 74.
Acquisition by Genesee and Wyoming
On August 5, 2008, Genesee & Wyoming announced an agreement to purchase the Ohio Central System for $219 million. Approval was granted by the Surface Transportation Board on December 30, 2008.
