The freight traffic includes coal from West Virginia mines headed eastward to export piers on the York River and westward to Midwestern industries and power plants. Other freight includes grain, cement, merchandise, autos, and steel utilizing rolling stock from several different eras. Modern trains may include T0FC or single and double stack containers while trains operating in earlier eras may include ice-bunk reefers, stock cars, and small tank cars hauling anything liquid. Passenger train equipment ranges from WWII heavyweights to 50's lightweight streamlined cars to modern Amtrak equipment. Locomotive equipment ranges from steam and early diesel in the 40's era to the most modern high horsepower units of the 1990's.
Traffic is controlled from a single central dispatcher's office.
The Chesapeake Bay Railroaders began in July, 1974. The first layout was built in the Grafton Hobby Center. In 1975 members dismantled the layout and moved It to a farmhouse at 246 Railway Rd. in Grafton. Membership is now about 35, half of the club capacity. Present members live In York County, Hampton, Newport News, James City County, Williamsburg, Gloucester, Isle of Wight County, Norfolk. and Virginia Beach.