Honorary Railwayman Badge of the USSR

Honorary Railwayman of the USSR
Honorary Railwayman of the USSR
Awarded for	Exceptional contributions to the development and safety of railway transportation in the USSR.
Sponsored by	Ministry of Railways of the USSR
Country	USSR
First awarded	1934

Honorary Railwayman of the USSR is one of the state awards of the USSR, established on May 13, 1933, by the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the USSR to reward railway transport workers.

Railway workers and others are awarded for achieving the highest and most consistent results in railway labor; for preparation, development, and implementation efforts; for improving the functioning of railway transport; for selfless actions related to ensuring the safety of train movements; for the application of achievements in science, technology, and new technologies; and for the preservation of passengers' lives, cargo, freight, and other entrusted property.^[1]^[2]

History

The award, originally established on May 17, 1934, was initially called the "Badge of Honorary Railwayman." Since 1964, it became known as the "Honorary Railwayman Badge".^[3]^[4]^[5]

In the 1980s and 1990s, railway workers were awarded the "Honorary Railwayman" badge, which depicted the VL85 electric locomotive.

By order of the Ministry of Railways dated April 22, 2002, the award was renamed to the "Honorary Railwayman" badge . In 2002, the design of the badge also changed (see image on the right): the badge's shape was modified, and it featured a steam locomotive and the high-speed "Sokol" electric train (as of 2015, only a prototype of the train existed).

Individuals awarded the "Honorary Railwayman" badge receive several privileges. For example, awarded railway workers are entitled to free travel in luxury (SV) train cars if they are still employed in the industry or have retired .

The badge with number 1 was awarded to the railway innovator Semyon Vasilyevich Kutafin for developing a new system for coupling and uncoupling railcars, organizing the work of conductors and station attendants, and other innovations implemented across all railways in the USSR .

References

^ "Cornet | Badge "Honorary Railway Worker" with document". cornet.cc. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
^ Guillebaud, Philomena (1953). "The Role of Honorary Awards in the Soviet Economic System". American Slavic and East European Review. 12 (4): 486–505. doi:10.2307/3004226. ISSN 1049-7544. JSTOR 3004226.
^ "Special HONOURABLE RAILWAYMAN badge with USSR train". www.soviet-power.com. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
^ Khachaturov, T. S. (1945). "Organization and Development of Railway Transport in the U.S.S.R." International Affairs. 21 (2): 220–235. doi:10.2307/3016366. ISSN 0020-5850. JSTOR 3016366.
^ "The railroad network of the U.S.S.R. : and the Fourth Five-Year Plan of reconstruction and development for railroad transport for 1946-1950". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved 2024-09-24.

[1] "Cornet | Badge "Honorary Railway Worker" with document". cornet.cc. Retrieved 2024-09-24.

[2] Guillebaud, Philomena (1953). "The Role of Honorary Awards in the Soviet Economic System". American Slavic and East European Review. 12 (4): 486–505. doi:10.2307/3004226. ISSN 1049-7544. JSTOR 3004226.

[3] "Special HONOURABLE RAILWAYMAN badge with USSR train". www.soviet-power.com. Retrieved 2024-09-24.

[4] Khachaturov, T. S. (1945). "Organization and Development of Railway Transport in the U.S.S.R." International Affairs. 21 (2): 220–235. doi:10.2307/3016366. ISSN 0020-5850. JSTOR 3016366.

[5] "The railroad network of the U.S.S.R. : and the Fourth Five-Year Plan of reconstruction and development for railroad transport for 1946-1950". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved 2024-09-24.

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