So in the 1900 topo map - north fork of deer creek (upstream of Cass, WV) - seems to be drawn as a road.

By 1922 it is marked "timber rr"

then - by 1940 it seems to be a walking trail.

It is still marked on the current topo maps as a hiking trail - but on the forest service website it is marked as a trail - but doesn't seem to be maintained because when you click on the trail - it would be listed as like class 2 trail or class 3 trail if it were still blazed and "officially" maintained.

Do you ever explore abandoned timber railroads?