Motive Power Industries HO Scale Models

Motive Power Industries, operating under the reporting mark MPI, traces its origins to 1972 when the engineering and construction giant Morrison-Knudsen established a dedicated rail division known as MK Rail. The division focused on locomotive manufacturing and maintenance, drawing on Morrison-Knudsen's substantial industrial capabilities. In 1993, the parent company spun off the rail division as a separate entity, and it became publicly traded the following year. When Morrison-Knudsen itself entered bankruptcy in 1996, MK Rail reorganized and rebranded as MotivePower Industries, conducting much of its manufacturing work under the trade name Boise Locomotive, reflecting its operations in Boise, Idaho. MotivePower Industries developed a reputation as a significant producer of diesel-electric locomotives, particularly for the passenger and commuter rail market. Its most prominent product line was the MPXpress family of passenger locomotives, which found considerable success with commuter rail operators across the United States and Canada, with total production eventually surpassing two hundred units. The company also produced switcher locomotives and other motive power for various regional and industrial customers, carving out a meaningful niche in a market long dominated by larger manufacturers. In November 1999, MotivePower Industries merged with the Westinghouse Air Brake Company, known as WABCO, to form Wabtec Corporation. Under Wabtec ownership, the Boise Locomotive name was retired in 2000 and the division continued under the MotivePower brand as a wholly owned subsidiary. The Boise manufacturing facility operated for roughly two more decades before Wabtec announced in September 2019 that the plant would close in early 2020, with production consolidated at the legacy GE Transportation facility in Erie, Pennsylvania, following Wabtec's earlier merger with GE Transportation. MotivePower continues to exist as a brand within Wabtec, performing locomotive overhaul and maintenance work for numerous passenger and freight operators throughout North America.