Brother Tim Wild hired out with the Southern Pacific in 1979, and has been a proud member of the BLET for over 30 years.
Tim Wild, Local Chairman of BLET Division 62 (Houston, Texas), retired from the Union Pacific Railroad on May 1. His railroad career spanned 47 years, including 30 years as a proud member of the BLET.
He hired out in 1979 with the Southern Pacific Railroad in Houston as a switchman-brakeman. Four years later, he borrowed out to El Paso, working in Dallas Street, River Yard by the Rio Grande River, and Alfalfa Yards, and on the road to Carrizo, New Mexico.
In 1985, after returning to Houston, he was promoted to yardmaster at Houston’s Englewood Yard, and the outlying yards. In 1988, he returned to his seniority, and spent the next 17 years on the road, working out of Houston in all five directions — Shreveport and Lafayette, La., Hearne/Dallas, and San Antonio, which he said was his favorite. He earned promotion to locomotive engineer in 1994 and joined the BLET in 1996.
In 2003, Brother Wild was first elected as a BLET officer, serving as Division 910’s delegate to the National Convention. After the tragic death of Division 62 Local Chairman Greg Bailey in the infamous head-on collision at Shepherd, Texas, Brother Wild transferred to Division 62 in 2006, along with his mentor Brother Jim Rosas, to provide additional leadership to that Division. In the ensuing years Brother Wild served in nearly every position in Division 62, and was elected Local Chairman four times.
On May 1, Brother Wild completed his Last Run on the YER62-01. The YER62 relieves the 71 local every day on Houston Service Unit’s Eureka Subdivision. He said he waited 10 years to hold that assignment, as it took 40 years of seniority to do so.
Brother Wild said he and his wife Diane enjoy traveling to tropical destinations, which they will continue to do now that he is retired. He also hopes to finally bring his 1979 Corvette up to the condition he wants, with the fourth paint job since he hired out.
Brother Wild said he and his wife Diane enjoy traveling to tropical destinations, which they will continue to do now that he is retired.