While passengers peacefully doze between metropolises to the rhythm of the wheels in compartments and reserved seats, and freight trains rush to deliver export goods, the workers of the steel highway selflessly ensure the safety and reliability of transportation. On the first Sunday of August, they received congratulations on their professional holiday.
In the northern region, nearly 12,000 people, one way or another connected with the industry, including veterans of the department, celebrated this day. The best representatives of the Vitebsk branch of Belarusian Railway were honoured at a formal meeting.
Sergey Novodvorsky, Chief Engineer of Belarusian Railway, congratulated the workers of the northern region. He called the steel highway a special link, the locomotive of the country's economy, and emphasised that the railway continues glorious traditions and is committed to development. The rolling stock is being improved (wagons and locomotives are being acquired), and the digitalisation of processes makes purchasing e-tickets more convenient for passengers. Even the forced revision of cargo delivery logistics has worked out for the better. While it was not easy, the export of industrial enterprises has been ensured, and international ties with colleagues from Russia and Kazakhstan, through whose territories Belarusian Railway routes run, have been strengthened.
– Today, some directions have changed. It was a certain challenge that we withstood with honour, along with our colleagues from Russian Railways. One of the main routes, the 9th transport corridor, passes through your region, carrying cargo to the largest ports of Russia's North-Western Federal District, – emphasised Sergey Novodvorsky, addressing the industry workers in the Vitebsk region.
Trains gliding along the rails transport millions of people annually and handle the delivery of goods that road transport cannot manage. Day and night, everything operates reliably and efficiently thanks to people who have dedicated their lives to this demanding craft.
– There are many professions, and indeed, every employee can be proud. Over 7,000 people work in the 21 structural divisions of the Vitebsk branch. Our common task is to ensure the stable and safe transportation of passengers and cargo. Every employee makes a significant contribution to fulfilling this task, – noted Alexander Khomchenko, Head of the Vitebsk branch of Belarusian Railway.
More than 70 people at the formal meeting received industry awards, certificates of honour, letters of appreciation, and valuable gifts. Among the distinguished frontrunners in the sector is Vasily Lyskovets, a driver in the material and technical supply department of the Vitebsk branch of Belarusian Railways.
– I like it, it’s my job – I’ve been here for 18 years – he shared with pride. – It’s pleasant to travel around Belarus. In just four days, I’ve already covered 1,400 km: Brest, Minsk… We deliver spare parts, materials, workwear, and other items as needed. It’s important to approach it responsibly, count everything, check everything, to ensure it’s in good condition and intact.
Just a few years ago, working in this industry was a dream for Natalia Shner. The young woman proved to herself that nothing is impossible. For the sixth year now, Railway Worker's Day is marked in red on her calendar.
– I always passed by the building of the Vitebsk branch, the station building, with a special sense of awe. For me, it seemed unattainable. The clatter of wheels – such romance. Today, I am filled with pride. It’s a great happiness to be part of such a huge, strong, powerful organisation – noted the leading archivist of the organisational support department of the branch. – On the one hand, my job is modest, with documents. On the other hand, we preserve the history of the railway, so that there is something to pass on to children and grandchildren. Many people now come to us for personal matters of their relatives to find out how their great-grandparents worked, how the railway operated at the end of the 19th century.
Galina Mazgo’s work biography features only the steel highway, all 38 years of it. Formerly a technician and telephonist, she has been a veteran of the branch for 12 years. Her merits in the railway are remembered. The pensioner readily accepts invitations to participate in both official and creative projects – exhibitions of thematic floral arrangements in honour of the holiday. She recalls with warmth how a family partnership was formed when her husband was a train dispatcher.
– The work is not easy. It has its own specifics, nuances, shift work – said Galina Mazgo. – My husband also worked for 38 years. Our son is in the military, and my husband and I are railway workers. When we retired, we appreciated the work of the railway not only from the inside but also from the outside. It’s very convenient! The diesel trains run frequently, the stops are well-thought-out, comfortable, with benefits for pensioners from May 1st to October.
Thanks to the veterans, the traditions of the railway have been preserved, and today new generations of railway workers are developing them. Some are hereditary. Labor dynasties work in the Vitebsk branch, with a combined service record exceeding four hundred years.
– The railway maintains its image as a reliable, loyal, and responsible partner for all freight forwarders. Passengers believe in us and make extensive use of all types of railway transport, – stated Sergey Novodvorsky.
The railway will continue to develop and modernize. Ambitious goals will help make passenger journeys even more comfortable, and improved goods transportation algorithms will increase freight traffic, opening up new horizons.