[2] The Winchester & Western was initially incorporated on August 16, 1916, for the purpose of tapping the forests of southeastern Hampshire County, West Virginia, and southwestern Frederick County, Virginia, in order to supply railroad ties and timber to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.

[3] The idea of building such a conduit to tap these resources had been conceived during World War I when the traffic on the railways of the United States had been greatly increased.

The Baltimore and Ohio factored greatly in the W&W's construction and its local subsidiary, Winchester Lumber Company, owned various tracts of mountainous woodlands in Hardy, Hampshire, and Frederick counties.

Because of the numerous supply and machinery shortages caused by World War I, Intermountain constructed the grade of the railroad using mule-powered scoops, sledgehammers, and hand-held drills.

[3] From Gore, the W&W turned southward through Back Creek valley toward Rock Enon Springs and ultimately to Wardensville.

On June 14, 1919, a "golden spike" ceremony was planned on the West Virginia/Virginia line near Capon Springs with only fifteen miles until completion.

A celebration was held to honor the W&W's completion and former West Virginia Governor John J. Cornwell delivered a speech on the positive effect that the railroad would have on the future growth of the region's economy.

Throughout the 1920s, beginning in May 1921, the Winchester and Western was primarily a bustling freight line with limited passenger service.

The W&W's own terminal was located at the Baltimore and Ohio Station at Kent and Piccadilly Streets in Winchester.

Freight traffic to and from Wardensville declined and the line was trimmed back to Capon Springs Station in 1934 due to the exhaustion of the region's timber reserves.

At the southern edge of Bowling Green Ridge, the W&W crosses the Northwestern Turnpike one last time and follows Back Creek south to Gore.

This list includes all of the communities and stations that have been served at one time by the original Winchester and Western Railroad.