Railway Worker Day marked in Russia this Sunday.

MOSCOW, August 7 (Itar-Tass) -- Over a million Russian railway workers
mark their professional day this Sunday.
It is the oldest professional holiday celebrated annually since 1896.
In that time it was marked on July 8, the name day of Nikolai I, the
emperor under whose rule the railroad construction began. Officials and
workers gathered for a dinner at the Pavlovsky station in St. Petersburg
to mark the day. It was celebrated annually until 1917, when the tradition
was abolished.
It was resumed 20 years later in 1936, when the transportation plan
was surpassed. Since then, under the Soviet decree, the professional
holiday is marked on the first Sunday of August.
Russia has 16 main railroads. Their total length exceeds 86,000
kilometres. It is the country's most important transport service. The
railways account for 80.3 percent of cargo and 39 percent of passenger
transportations. For the length, Russia's railroads are the second in the
world after the United States and the first for the electric lines --
42,300 km. There are over 20,000 locomotives, about 15,000 cars of local
electric trains, about 23,000 passenger carriages and over a million
freight cars.
The work will not change on the holiday. Those on duty will mark the
day only with tea. Alcohol at work is strictly prohibited, Russian
Railways workers noted. Those who have a day off may come to parks in all
cities, where railroaders traditionally gather on their holiday.
This Sunday's main celebration site is Novosibirsk, where thousands of
railwaymen will gather in a park. High-ranking guests and popular singers
will come from Moscow to congratulate them.