Headquartered in
Coshocton, Ohio, the system operates 500 miles (800 km) 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.
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:
^Formerly the Pittsburgh Industrial Railroad, a 42-mile (68 km) line from Arden to Neville Island, Pennsylvania. The Ohio Central purchased this line from
RailAmerica, in December 2000 for $7.7 million. In 2005, the
State of Pennsylvania awarded $2.1 million to repair flood damage along this line.