EDITORIAL

In three years, we too, became railway men

More than two years ago, a team of young and confident men, new in the railway field, joined the "second army of the country" - the railway men. It is about the publishing team of the Railway Journal. Beginning this difficult journey, it would have been easily understood to have abbandon this attempt of journalism, but our confidence and work with the railway men gave us the courage of going on.

Positive results didn’t cease to appear - sooner than we had expected. This makes us believe that we will enter the third year of activity in the railway branch, armed with some gathered experience in the field and with the thought that we too, have become railway men.

From the first issue of the magazine, we were pretty circumspect about the necessity of such a publication, as probably some of you were. But time played its dice in our favor. It showed us all, that this type of railway paper was really needed. First of all, because this important professional category fully deserves to have at its disposal such a modality of displaying the sustained efforts in the benefit of the national economy and of the insurance of a normal everyday life for people all over the country, but also displaying the problems they confront with every single moment, during this transition period, which, by the way, we all are experiencing. Another reason would be also their wish of leaving a legacy for the future generations of railway men to come, i.e. presenting small pieces from the history of Romanian Railways. A history, which they are making day by day, and which, we, the journalist are just writing down. And for this, we have been doing our best. That is why we tried, even from the beginning, to offer in the very first issue of the Railway Journal, a modern and diverse publication, approaching different aspects from the history of Romanian Railways, from the railway tourism, but also from the sportive and leisure time activities of the railway men.

If two years ago, we presented the activity of one single company - SNCFR of 1999, along with the changes in the organization cell of this activity sector, but also in the lives and mentality of the railway men, we succeeded to present and value the activity of the new companies in the railway branch, both state and private companies. We were up to date with the latest programs of mercerization of the infrastructure and of the rolling stock, of the international railway system. We presented the efforts made for improving traffic safety or the big events celebrated by the railway men, either historical or sportive.

We also tried, and believe to have succeeded, to have a closer relationship with the leaders of the union trades, whose activity we presented in every detail.

The young publishing team of the Railway Journal did its best to create a modern image of the railway publication, thing that became reality only due to your support. The encouragement we received, convinced us that we should go on and assure you that in the future, we will concentrate our efforts in presenting you the latest moments in the railway activity. For this we will need once again, the support of our readers and collaborators, and in turn, we promise not to let you down.

Now, when we are ready to cross the doorstep of a new millenium, our small team wishes to all the readers and to all Romanians, a happy New Year!

Reporting Oana Bran