J. Edgar Thomson

John Edgar Thomson (February 10, 1808 – May 27, 1874) was an American civil engineer and industrialist. Thomson was an entrepreneur best known for his leadership of the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) from 1852 until his death 1874, making it the largest business enterprise in the world and a world-class model for technological and managerial innovation. He served as PRR's first Chief Engineer and third President.

Thomson's sober, technical, methodical, and non-ideological personality had an important influence on the Pennsylvania Railroad, which in the mid-19th century was on the technical cutting edge of rail development, while nonetheless reflecting Thomson's personality in its conservatism and its steady growth while avoiding financial risks. His Pennsylvania Railroad was in his day the largest railroad in the world, with 6000 miles of track, and was famous for steady financial dividends, for high quality construction, constantly improving equipment, technological advances (such as replacing wood with coal as locomotive fuel), and innovation in management techniques for a large complex organization.

Born in Springfield Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia, to a family with Quaker roots that had arrived in the colonial era. His father John Thomson was a leading civil engineer, who helped build the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, and the first experimental railroad in the United States. The son had little formal schooling, worked closely with his father from an early age, acquiring a sound foundation of engineering practice which he augmented by reading, observation, and experience. He began his railroad career at age 19 as a rodman working in a survey crew locating the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad and later worked for Camden and Amboy Railroad. He made an inspection tour of the new railways of Britain in 1832. Through his father's influence he became a member of the state's engineer corps surveying routes for a rail line west from Philadelphia. He was soon made assistant engineer, and in 1830, when the line of the Camden & Amboy Railroad was located across the state of New Jersey, Thomson was placed in charge of an engineering division.

At the age of 26 in 1834, he became the chief engineer of the newly chartered Georgia Railroad. He located the road, negotiated and oversaw construction contracts, operated portions as they opened, and promoted possible connections to the north and west. Thomson became nationally known for his expertise; his salary was $4000 in 1837.

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