John Edgar Thomson

John Edgar Thomson (February 10, 1808 – May 27, 1874) is an American civil engineer and industrialist.

Thomson is an entrepreneur best known for his leadership of the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) from 1852 until his death in 1874, making it the largest business enterprise in the world and a world-class model for technological and managerial innovation.

He serves as PRR's first Chief Engineer and third President.

Thomson's sober, technical, methodical, and non-ideological personality has an important influence on the Pennsylvania Railroad, which in the mid-19th century is 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 is in his day the largest railroad in the world, with 6000 miles of track, and is famous for steady financial dividends, for high quality construction, constantly improving equipment, technological advances (such as replacing wood with coal), and innovation in management techniques for a large complex organization.

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