▁ 1 8 4 1 ▁when ▁work ▁started ▁on ▁the ▁first ▁railway ▁bridge ▁at ▁this ▁point , ▁it ▁was ▁located ▁in ▁the ▁Rh ine ▁Province ▁of ▁Pr uss ia . ▁ ▁The ▁bridge ▁was ▁replaced ▁twice , ▁most ▁recently ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 / 9 9 ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁take ▁the ▁extra ▁weight ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁high - speed ▁train ▁route ▁into ▁which ▁the ▁bridge ▁has ▁now ▁been ▁incorpor ated . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁bridge ▁ 1 8 4 3 - 1 9 4 0 ▁The ▁Ham mer ▁Bridge ▁is ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁railway ▁line ▁constructed ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 4 0 s ▁to ▁link ▁the ▁rapidly ▁industri alis ing ▁Ru hr ▁region ▁in ▁western ▁Pr uss ia ▁with ▁the ▁recently ▁constructed ▁Belg ian ▁rail ▁network . ▁The ▁bridge ▁was ▁designed ▁by ▁Chief ▁Const ruction ▁Director ▁G . ▁Mol ler ▁from ▁D arm stadt , ▁and ▁construction ▁on site ▁was ▁managed ▁by ▁Engine er ▁F . ▁W itt feld t . ▁Work ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 1 ▁on ▁a ▁double ▁vi ad uct , ▁entirely ▁of ▁brick ▁construction , ▁across ▁the ▁River ▁Ge ul ▁ ▁The ▁lower ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁vi ad uct ▁consisted ▁of ▁ 1 3 ▁arch es , ▁placed ▁above ▁which ▁were ▁ 1 7 ▁similarly ▁s ized ▁arch es , ▁of ▁which ▁two ▁at ▁each ▁end ▁were ▁placed ▁on ▁low ▁ab ut ments ▁rather ▁than ▁arch es . ▁Until ▁ 1 8 9 7 ▁the ▁Ham mer ▁Bridge ▁was ▁the ▁highest ▁railway