▁vi ad uct ▁in ▁what ▁had , ▁by ▁that ▁time , ▁become ▁the ▁un ified ▁German ▁state . ▁ ▁The ▁bridge ▁was ▁s ited ▁directly ▁to ▁the ▁south ▁of ▁Her g ern r ath ▁and ▁ 5 ▁km ▁( 3 ▁miles ) ▁to ▁the ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁point ▁where ▁in ▁the ▁world ' s ▁first ▁international ▁front ier ▁railway ▁station ▁would ▁open , ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 3 , ▁at ▁Her best hal . ▁It ▁was ▁also ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 3 , ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁October , ▁that ▁the ▁first ▁train ▁crossed ▁the ▁Ham mer ▁Bridge , ▁en ▁route ▁from ▁A achen ▁to ▁H eg ern r ath . ▁Just ▁two ▁days ▁later ▁a ▁train ▁ran ▁through ▁from ▁A achen ▁to ▁Ver vi ers ▁in ▁Belg ium : ▁Ver vi ers ▁already ▁had ▁a ▁rail ▁connection ▁to ▁Lie ge , ▁which ▁meant ▁that ▁from ▁ 1 7 ▁October ▁ 1 8 4 3 ▁the ▁bridge ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁ful fill ▁its ▁role ▁as ▁a ▁link ▁on ▁the ▁route ▁connecting ▁the ▁industrial ▁regions ▁of ▁Pr uss ia ▁and ▁Belg ium . ▁This ▁bridge ▁was ▁ ▁long ▁between ▁ab ut ments ▁and ▁ ▁wide . ▁It ▁was ▁ ▁above ▁the ▁river , ▁which ▁here ▁correspond ed ▁with ▁the ▁valley ' s ▁deep est ▁point . ▁Const ruction ▁of ▁the ▁vi ad uct ▁used ▁more ▁than ▁ 8 ▁million ▁br icks ▁and ▁cost ▁ 2 . 5 ▁million ▁Pr uss ian ▁Th al ers . ▁▁ ▁During ▁the ▁First ▁World ▁War ▁the