Harrisburg. At the same time the Pennsylvania bought the main
line of the Public Works, which included the Alleghany Portage
Railroad. On July 18, 1858, the first through train passed over
the entire line from Philadelphia via Mount Joy to Pittsburgh
without transfer of passengers. At the same time the first
smoking car ever attached to a passenger train was used, and
sleeping cars also soon began to appear.

The railroad genius identified with the history of the
Pennsylvania Railroad during the following decade is J. Edgar
Thomson. A man of vision and of great shrewdness and ability, he
was more like the modern railroad head of the Ripley or Underwood
type than of the Vanderbilt, Garrett, or Drew type. His interest
was never in the stock market nor in the speculative side of
railroading but was concentrated entirely on the development and
operation of the Pennsylvania Railroad system. His dreams were
not of millions quickly made nor of railroad dominance simply for
the power that it gave; his mind was concentrated on the growth
and prosperity of a vast railroad system which would increase
with the years, become lucrative in its operations, and not only
radiate throughout the State of Pennsylvania but extend far
beyond into the growing West.

Under the Thomson management, which lasted until 1874, the record
of the Pennsylvania Railroad was one of progress in every sense
of the word. While Daniel Drew was lining his pockets with loot
from the Erie Railroad and Commodore Vanderbilt was piling up his
colossal fortune through consolidation and manipulation, J. Edgar
Thomson was steadily building up the greatest business
organization on the continent. In 1860, the entire Pennsylvania