W. Va. Code § 5B-1A-5

(a) The state rail authority shall hold fee simple title or any lesser interest in land, including easements and leaseholds, on all abandoned railroad rights-of-way acquired by the state and utilized for interim nonmotorized recreational trail use pursuant to the provisions of this article. The state rail authority may, at the option of a political subdivision of this state, hold fee simple title or any lesser interest in land, including easements and leaseholds, on all abandoned railroad rights-of-way acquired by such political subdivision and utilized for interim nonmotorized recreational trail use. Any provision of article one-a, chapter twenty of this code to the contrary notwithstanding, the public land corporation shall not be vested with title to any abandoned railroad right-of-way which becomes vested in the state pursuant to the provisions of this article.

(b) The state rail authority may acquire an interest in an abandoned railroad right-of-way to be used as a rail trail, in accordance with the provisions of section six, article eighteen, chapter twenty-nine of this code.

(c) The state rail authority shall issue a rail bank certificate for each abandoned railroad right-of-way held by the state rail authority for interim nonmotorized recreational purposes in accordance with the provisions of section six of this article.