Western Railroad Discussion > MPI Boise Today

On my way back to Arizona from Idaho I stopped by the MPI facility in Boise to see what I could see.

1. Former Escalante Western #601.
2. ACE #3106.
3. Metra Galley Car. There were two of these cars on the property. The one in the photo looks like it was about to be shipped out.

JMW

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MPEX units on hand -

1. Shop switcher #243.
2. Former ATSF F45 #5989. I believe this is some sort of test bed.
3. SD-45 #9532. Former ATSF?

JMW

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Freshly built UPY MP20GP's.

JMW

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Are those rebuilt from GP40's? Thats what it looks like, well from the outside. Also, what type of mover is under the hood?

stretch Wrote:
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> Are those rebuilt from GP40's? Thats what it
> looks like, well from the outside. Also, what
> type of mover is under the hood?


no, they are rebuilt from GP50's. They are powered by a CAT prime mover and are essentially an MP2000D, just in a more conventional roadswitcher carbody, and they have a DASH 3 electrical system.

Bryan Jones
Brooks, KY
Bryan's Train Photos

Odds and ends.

1. DRGW #3015
2. CNW SD18 or 24? This unit was whole, not cut into chunks.
3. New lease power.

JMW

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Which ex-Conrail OpLife unit is that in the background?

Surprised to see the new ACE 3106 is an F40PH. When I heard they were getting another locomotive from MPI, I thought for sure it was going to be an MP36 or MP40. Did not realize that the F40PH clones were still available.

The blue unit with the OL logo is one of the new GATX lease units. I'm afraid I didn't get the number but from the photo it looks like it could be the #2681.

JMW

jmw Wrote:

> 1. Former Escalante Western #601.

Is it really "former," or just in for repairs?

Nice to see 5989 is still around.

The unit is marked "WFAX" in small letters on the side of the cab so I assumed it was picked up as a lease.

JMW

jmw Wrote:
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> The unit is marked "WFAX" in small letters on the
> side of the cab so I assumed it was picked up as a
> lease.

WFAX is the reporting marks for Western Fuels Associates (or some such) the ones who own the Escalante Western.


TCS - cool shtuff maynard

How about the GMTX 2680? What's its former SP number?

Did you notice how the bell, under the sill, was painted on the SD-45??

Western Fuels was having Escalate-Western 601 get a new prime mover before it returns to home rails working BNSF's Lee Ranch Subdivision in the Ambrosia, NM area. MPI/M-K had worked on this locomotive back in December 1984.

I have never been to Boise. Where is the best location by street to view MPI. Are there other places to rail fan in the Boise area. Thanks in advance.

it would be nice to see that northwestern unit in a museum like IRM at Union Illinois with other CNW units because it is a rare bird now,

Randy Allard

It breaks my heart to see the DRGW 3015 in the weeds. I kept that unit from retirement on the U.P. the for a year at East yard, Los Angeles.

SW1500 Wrote:
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> It breaks my heart to see the DRGW 3015 in the
> weeds. I kept that unit from retirement on the
> U.P. the for a year at East yard, Los Angeles.


That was a cool thing to do.The 3015 was a fixture at UP east yard and working the San Pedro Branch for quite a long time.