The development of the railway network in the mid-19th century had massive implications for settlement and landscape planning in Germany, deeply affecting the cultural and historical development of each region. As a consequence of high industrialization, around 1900, there was a significant increase in the population‘s desire for mobility and the necessity of transporting goods. This led to the continuous expansion of the railway network. Particularly in urban areas, this expansion was accompanied by the construction of extensive infrastructure, which increasingly reached its capacity limits on both roads and railways. The necessary track diversions required the construction of a large number of new bridge structures. This gave rise to a variety of steel solid web girder bridges with short spans, which, with their economical design language and richly adorned abutment pylons, profoundly transformed the cities. These bridge ensembles, as well as the respective construction and planning processes, will be examined in more detail for the cities of Hannover and Chemnitz. The discussion will focus on the solutions found for the same construction task against the backdrop of each region‘s unique political context and how they have shaped the urban landscape.