100th Anniversary of the Railway in Israel

100th Anniversary of the Railway in Israel
State Medal, 1994/5754

Railway construction began in Israel at the end of the 19th century, under Ottoman rule. Joseph Navon received rights from the Turkish sultan in 1888 to construct the railway from Jaffa to Jerusalem. French investors complete this line, which was inaugurated on September 26, 1892. In the early 1900s, the Turks built the Hejaz Railway and in 1905 the Emek Railway, and in 1905 the Emek Railway, with a Deraa-Sea of Galilee-Haifa route, was opened. The Turks and Germans constructed the Afula-Tulkarm-Lod-Beersheba-Nizzana line, which was dismantled after World War 1. In 1942 the Haifa-Beirut line, completing the link between Cairo and Istanbul, was inaugurated. The last steam engine was replaced by diesel in 1959.

Obverse:
Above, the first train in Israel, with Hebrew inscription to left and year: 5653 ; below, a modern train with English inscription "THE FIRST RAILWAY IN ERETZ ISRAEL 1892" to the right.

Reverse:
Train tracks with approaching train on horizon. Below, on the tracks, the passage"BUILD UP THE TRACK" in Hebrew and English (Isaiah 62). Above, emblem of Israel Railways ;along the circumference, "Israel Railways Authority" in Hebrew.

Edge:
State emblem with the words "STATE OF ISRAEL" in Hebrew on the right and in English on the left and serial number. Bronze/tombac medal - "BRONZE" in Hebrew and English ; Silver medal - "SILVER 935" in Hebrew and English ; gold medal - "G.750" in Hebrew and English.

Serialization: All medals are numbered.

Designer:
Obverse - Abraham Pat
Reverse - Galia and Ilan Eisen

Engraving: Tidhar Dagan

Mint:
Bronze/tombac - Hecht
Silver and gold - The Government Mint