Shortly after its completion, the Odenwald Railway was connected by two routes with the Württemberg railway network, from Meckenheim via Sinsheim to Jagstfeld (westliche Gabelbahn, Western Fork Railway, opened 1868/1869) and from Jagstfeld to Osterburken (Östliche Gabelbahn, Eastern Fork Railway, opened in 1869). Following the completion of the Odenwald Railway, the Tauber Valley Railway (Taubertalbahn) was opened between 1867 and 1869 to Wertheim and Bad Mergentheim in order to develop the Tauber Valley.