Richard Maury facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Maury
|
|
|---|---|
Richard Maury (third from left) with railway workers in Salta.
|
|
| Born |
Richard Fontaine Maury
December 18, 1882 Philadelphia, United States
|
| Died | July 10, 1950 (aged 67) Córdoba, Argentina
|
| Occupation | Engineer |
| Years active | 1902-1950 |
| Spouse(s) | Carmen Rosa Pauna |
| Children | Ricardo Juan Maury |
| Parent(s) | Thompson Brooke Maury (father) |
Richard Fontaine Maury (born December 18, 1882, in Philadelphia, USA – died July 10, 1950, in Córdoba, Argentina) was an American engineer. He became an Argentine citizen later in his life. Maury is famous for designing a special railway line in Argentina. This line is known as "Ramal C-14" and is part of the Ferrocarril General Manuel Belgrano. Today, a part of it is used by the amazing tourist train called Tren a las Nubes (Train to the Clouds).
Contents
Early Life and Education
Richard Maury was born in Philadelphia in 1882. He was the second of four brothers. His father was Thompson Brooke Maury.
Richard studied hard and graduated as an engineer in 1902. He got his degree from the Virginia Military Institute. His very first job was helping to build the Pennsylvania Tunnel. This tunnel connected New York City and New Jersey.
Building Railways in Argentina
In 1906, Richard Maury moved to Argentina. The next year, in 1907, he joined the Argentine State Railway. This was the national railway company of Argentina.
The Famous Ramal C-14
In 1921, a big railway project was approved. It was called the "Ramal C-14" and would connect Salta to Socompa. The goal was to build a train line all the way to the Chilean border. Richard Maury was chosen to lead this huge project. He worked on it for ten years, until 1931.
This railway line is very special. It climbs high into the Andes mountains. It uses clever engineering tricks like zig-zags and spirals to gain height. Today, a part of this line is used by the famous Tren a las Nubes, or "Train to the Clouds." This train is a popular tourist attraction.
Other Important Projects
Maury also worked on other important railway lines. He helped with the Transandine Railway that connected Mendoza to Las Cuevas, Argentina. He also worked on a road from Acheral to Tafi del Valle.
Later, he worked on a railway line in Bolivia. This line connected Yacuíba to Santa Cruz and Sucre.
Teaching and Writing
Richard Maury was also a respected teacher and writer. On July 12, 1928, he became an honorary professor. This was at the National University of Tucumán.
In 1929, he published a book called Manual para el trazado de ferrocarriles. This means "Manual for the railway tracks." It was a very important book for engineers. In 1944, he was named the first honorary member of the Engineering Center of Tucumán.
Personal Life and Legacy
Richard Maury married Carmen Rosa Pauna. They had one child together, a son named Ricardo Juan.
Richard Maury passed away in Córdoba in 1950. In 1957, his remains were moved to a special place. They are now buried at the foot of a monument built for him. This monument is at the station of Campo Quijano. This town is near Salta and is on the Salta–Antofagasta railway line.
A small village and its train station were even renamed after him. They were originally called "Damián M. Torino." Now, they are known as "Ingeniero Maury" (Engineer Maury). This shows how important his work was.
Images for kids
-
Ingeniero Maury station, served by the Tren a las Nubes (1993).
Learn More
- Rail transport in Argentina
- History of Argentina
- Tren a las Nubes
- Transandine Railway
- Salta–Antofagasta railway
