The initiators of the Huttwil-Wolhusen-Bahn, which were mainly politicians from the Willisau District, saw their project in the 1870s as part of through route that would have connected France and the Gotthard Railway (Gotthardbahn, GB) at Altdorf by the shortest route via Delle, Delémont, Balsthal, Langenthal, Huttwil, Wolhusen, Lucerne and Stans.

Shortly after the opening of the Langenthal–Huttwil railway by the Langenthal-Huttwil-Bahn, a new initiative committee received a concession for the Huttwil–Wolhusen line on 10 April 1890.

The HWB acquired steam locomotive Eb 3/4, listed as number 4, from the Bern-Neuenburg-Bahn (Bern-Neuchâtel Railway) in 1930.

[4] In order to obtain federal aid for rail electrification, the HWB merged with the LHB and the Ramsei-Sumiswald-Huttwil-Bahn (RSHB) on 1 January 1944 to form the United Huttwil Railways (Vereinigten Huttwil-Bahnen, VHB), which immediately formed a joint venture called the EBT Group with the Emmental-Burgdorf-Thun-Bahn (EBT) and the Solothurn-Münster Bahn (SMB).

The VHB commenced electrical operations on the Huttwil–Hüswil section at 15 kV AC 16 ⅔ Hertz on 6 August 1945.

It acquired four BDe 4/4 railcars from the Südostbahn (SOB) for this role, with one serving as a source of spare parts.