SP had the largest privatly owned phone company in the world. They started by loading too many channels into on a carrier to get away from the wire lines. Finally, the old wood was dragged into the new age and they put in a microwave system. They called it Sprint. It was great for the company and TOPS was right on its coat tails. Then the SP/SF merger came up and was shot down. But not before Biaggini sold off Sprint and the pipelines. Then Krebs jumped ship to the SF and took everything else with him that wasn't nailed down. All that was left were the rails, ties and right-of-way. They were in sad shape and so was the power.

In steps "Uncle Phil" from the DRGW and buys the SP and puts a lot of money into the old girl.
A few years later, he had sucked out what was left, and had a fire sale for the UP.

The only people that were hurt were the employees, share holders and the public. All the top dogs walked away with millions of dollars in their wallets and everybody else was left to the wind, and later, The "Yellow Peril". It was sad to put so many years into the old "Friendly" and watch it fade away into the Sunset.

Nudge