HATX/HLCX

[KSmitty]

I was just wondering, what is the difference between Helm Leasing (HLCX) and Helm Atlantic Leasing (HATX) are they both part of HELM or are they seperate companies. If they are both HELM what is the point in 2 different leasing entities?

[John_Perkowski]

Kevin,

Only a business' accounting and law departments can tell you why multiple reporting marks are used for one business.

Even now, UP uses:

UP
MP
ARMN (or is it AMRN)... their reefer arm.

Into the 50s, UP used:

UP
LA&SL
OWR&N
OSL
KP
... all predecessor companies which existed only on paper, but which gave favorable ICC and tax treatments to the Road.

To the first part of your question, on cursory google search it appears they are the same firm, with Helm Atlantic doing the locomotive business and Helm doing the car business.

[KSmitty]

Only a business' accounting and law departments can tell you why multiple reporting marks are used for one business.

Thanks for the answer, I wondered as much, as Pan Am Railways does the same thing, ST/BM/MEC marks on the locomotives and cars despite the whole operation being run by ST. It is what is most favorable to the company.

To the first part of your question, on cursory google search it appears they are the same firm, with Helm Atlantic doing the locomotive business and Helm doing the car business.

I don't know about this, I will try to find the answer, but Helm has locomotives with both HATX and HLCX marks and I beleive that HLCX is much more abundant on locomotives but I may be wrong.

[MEC407]

Helm also has HLGX reporting marks, which I believe were mostly used on their GE locomotives. And they have a web site at HLMX.com.

[KSmitty]

Helm also has HLGX reporting marks, which I believe were mostly used on their GE locomotives. And they have a web site at HLMX.com.

Thanks for the info, I was looking at the ex-BM GP40-2's. From what i can tell they were assigned to HLCX, but then when several were sold (to CP, VTR, and ONT) the few remaining got "transferred" to HATX.

The HLGX must be for their GE locos, because I didn't see any GE's on the photo roster of HATX/HLCX locos on rrpicturearchives.

And lastly thanks for the website. It is quite interesting, although a little short on the different reporting marks. They have a huge fleet, 850+ locos and 22,000+ cars WOW thats a lot of equipment.

[scharnhorst]

HELM Leasing has marks to I.D. Locomotives that are used in Canada, U.S.A., and Mexico the marks I.D. The units that are built to the specifics of that Countries laws for required equipment to be placed on them. For example in the U.S. and Canada Locomotives are required to have a chemical toilet where as in Mexico they might not have such laws or that country might not require marker lights to be on the locomotives ect. ect. Some HELM Units may also be assigend or allowed to work in a specific region like the Northeast corridor for exsample becouse there snowplow cleares the 3ed rail with no issues.

[KSmitty]

Very interesting!

Maybe HATX locomotives, (Helm Atlantic) locomotives are used only on the eastern half of the country or something like that. Which would explain all the different markings.

Thanks!

[timberley]

Maybe HATX locomotives, (Helm Atlantic) locomotives are used only on the eastern half of the country or something like that. Which would explain all the different markings.

That's a possibility. Out here on the Atlantic coast of Canada, the Cape Breton and Central Nova Scotia Railway (owned by RailAmerica) operates all leased Helm equipment. All of the locomotives I've seen here are lettered HATX, as opposed to HLCX. Being in Atlantic Canada, the locomotives being Helm Atlantic Leasing makes a lot of sense.

[MEC407]

Maybe HATX locomotives, (Helm Atlantic) locomotives are used only on the eastern half of the country or something like that. Which would explain all the different markings.

A good theory, but that doesn't really make sense when you consider how many HLCX units are running in New England right now, which is certainly in the Atlantic part of the country!

[scharnhorst]

Maybe HATX locomotives, (Helm Atlantic) locomotives are used only on the eastern half of the country or something like that. Which would explain all the different markings.

A good theory, but that doesn't really make sense when you consider how many HLCX units are running in New England right now, which is certainly in the Atlantic part of the country!

yes true but when the lettering system came about for Helm Leaseing that was how they set up there rostor with diffrent letting i.d.ing what locomotives were assigned to where. I'll have to see if I can find that info and post it.

In the mean time here is the locomotive fleet rostor: http://www.thedieselshop.us/HELM.html

[John_Perkowski]

yes true but when the lettering system came about for Helm Leaseing that was how they set up there rostor with diffrent letting i.d.ing what locomotives were assigned to where.

Care to bet it's driven by who is supplying the dollars to Helm?

[scharnhorst]

yes true but when the lettering system came about for Helm Leaseing that was how they set up there rostor with diffrent letting i.d.ing what locomotives were assigned to where.

Care to bet it's driven by who is supplying the dollars to Helm?

Not rilly kind of shot on cash. But I can see what your getting at.

[KSmitty]

But I can see what your getting at.

I don't, unless your saying that HELM is financed through local/state government?

yes true but when the lettering system came about for Helm Leaseing that was how they set up there rostor with diffrent letting i.d.ing what locomotives were assigned to where. I'll have to see if I can find that info and post it.

Do you know this as fact, or are you meerly presuming? It is the most sensible explanation as to why they have so many reporting marks.

As I quickly skimmed through the roster scharnhorst posted, I counted 7 different marks for Helm: HL, HLC, HLCX, HATX, HLGX, HLLX, and HLMX. Thats quite a few marks for one company! Other things I got out of that roster.
HLGX appears to be used exclusively for GE locomotives, but not every GE gets HLGX marks.
HLLX seems to be mostly switchers and smaller locomotives (GP38's) the exception is a block of 6 ex DEEX SD40's.
HLMX appears only once on the roster, for 6 ex-CN SD50F's, maybe for full cowl units?

Units definately arnt assigned marks based on where they came from. The three ex-MEC GP38's on the Helm roster are HLCX not HATX.

[scharnhorst]

But I can see what your getting at.

I don't, unless your saying that HELM is financed through local/state government?

yes true but when the lettering system came about for Helm Leaseing that was how they set up there rostor with diffrent letting i.d.ing what locomotives were assigned to where. I'll have to see if I can find that info and post it.

Do you know this as fact, or are you meerly presuming? It is the most sensible explanation as to why they have so many reporting marks.

As I quickly skimmed through the roster scharnhorst posted, I counted 7 different marks for Helm: HL, HLC, HLCX, HATX, HLGX, HLLX, and HLMX. Thats quite a few marks for one company! Other things I got out of that roster.
HLGX appears to be used exclusively for GE locomotives, but not every GE gets HLGX marks.
HLLX seems to be mostly switchers and smaller locomotives (GP38's) the exception is a block of 6 ex DEEX SD40's.
HLMX appears only once on the roster, for 6 ex-CN SD50F's, maybe for full cowl units?

Units definately arnt assigned marks based on where they came from. The three ex-MEC GP38's on the Helm roster are HLCX not HATX.

I saw the data someplace on the intenet but can't find the page.

[PEIR]

That's a possibility. Out here on the Atlantic coast of Canada, the Cape Breton and Central Nova Scotia Railway (owned by RailAmerica) operates all leased Helm equipment. All of the locomotives I've seen here are lettered HATX, as opposed to HLCX. Being in Atlantic Canada, the locomotives being Helm Atlantic Leasing makes a lot of sense.

The CBNS has been using four HLCX SD40-2's for about a year now as well as three LLPX GP15's and two LLPX GP38-2's.