The first female Hebrew train driver

Hanit Binyamin says women are just as capable of keeping their cool on the tracks as men

As countries worldwide marked International Women’s Day Sunday to promote greater equality between the sexes, Israel Railways joined the struggle, opening its train operator course to women for the first time.

Still in training, Hanit Binyamin, 31, a divorcée from Beersheba, is set to become the first female Hebrew locomotive engineer in eight months’ time, bursting 67 years of male-dominated hegemony in the profession.

Speaking to Army Radio Sunday, she told listeners that women should have no problem passing the year-long course, and are just as capable of performing in the carriage and on the tracks as men are.

“Everybody is shocked to see a woman [in the class], because it’s never happened before. But they will get used to it,” Binyamin said.

“[The training] is difficult for everybody. I’ve never experienced discrimination. A few inside jokes from the guys, but nothing in bad taste,” she continued.

Israel Railways is the state-owned principal railway company responsible for all inter-city, commuter, and freight rail transport in Israel. It began operating with the establishment of the state in 1948, taking over historical rail lines laid down by the British and Ottoman empires.

Binyamin noted that she was turned down by the company four years ago when she applied for the job, because “the locomotive operator’s course was not open to women.”

The decision to open the course to females was partly due to the construction of new rail lines in addition to increased traffic on existing lines, causing a spike in the demand for drivers.

“We learn to operate seven or eight types of different locomotives as well as advanced electrical systems,” Binyamin explained.

“As a child, I dreamed about this job. Not everybody has the opportunity to transport 1,000-1,500 people a day.”