Motive Power Resources

What Motive Power Resources does

Motive Power Resources, Inc. (MPR) is an AAR-certified, independent locomotive manufacturer and service provider headquartered at 113 Industrial Dr, Minooka, Illinois. Founded in November 2007 by Steve Bomba — a former Locomotive Sales Manager and VP of Sales at two competing rebuilders — MPR has grown from a rented apartment performing inspections and parts brokering into a 47,000+ sq ft operation that has bought and sold more than 500 locomotives. The company serves Class 1, Regional, and Shortline Railroads, locomotive leasing companies, and industrial users (ethanol, agricultural, steel, paper, chemical, ports, grain elevators), with an emerging footprint in military and utility applications through a battery-electric locomotive partnership with Innovative Rail Technologies (IRT).

MPR's revenue model spans five interlocking streams: pre-owned locomotive sales (EMD Switcher and GP-series units in various rebuild states), locomotive rebuilds and custom new-builds (full rebuilds add up to 20 years of service life at roughly 40% the cost of a new locomotive), parts and components (multi-million dollar inventory in a 12,000 sq ft warehouse with a 1-year warranty on rebuilt items), short- and long-term leasing (with options for traction control, AESS, and remote-control systems), and field service via five mobile trucks within a 350-mile radius of Minooka. Pricing across all lines is quote-based, sales-led, and relationship-driven, with the company serving as an authorized dealer for Tractive Power Corporation's TP56 industrial switcher. Customer acquisition runs through direct phone contact, website quote forms, content marketing (blog, Facebook, LinkedIn), and in-person engagement at the Minooka headquarters.

In 2025 MPR executed a strategic pivot into zero-emission motive power. Through its exclusive manufacturing partnership with IRT, MPR is scaling facility capacity to produce IRT-designed battery-electric locomotives and diesel-to-battery retrofits for the U.S. and Canadian markets. The October 2025 commissioning of a battery-electric locomotive for the Fort Hood resiliency project — capable of pulling Abrams tanks and delivering 2.4 MW of backup emergency power — was completed in collaboration with Dominion Energy. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity approved MPR for the REV Tax Credit Program in March 2025, committing the company to $3.218M in capital investment and 16 new full-time jobs at its Minooka facility by end of 2027.

Name

Motive Power Resources

Legal name

Motive Power Resources, Inc.

Website

https://mprxinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Motive Power Resources is an AAR-certified independent locomotive manufacturer and service provider based in Minooka, Illinois. It sells, rebuilds, leases, services, and parts-supplies diesel and battery-electric locomotives for Class 1, regional, shortline railroads, industrial users, and the military.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Minooka

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Locomotive Sales: Sale of pre-owned locomotives from inventory (Switcher, GP series) and new-build locomotives. Inventory includes SW1200, SW1500, GP9, GP40-3, GP15, GP20, and NRE Genset units in various conditions (Ready for Service, In Rebuild, Core for Repower)
2. Locomotive Rebuilding: Full and mid-level locomotive rebuilds. Full rebuilds add up to 20 years to locomotive life; mid-level overhauls add 7-10 years. Saves average of 40% compared to purchasing new.
3. Parts & Components: Sale of rebuilt locomotive components on unit exchange basis or outright purchase. Components rebuilt to OEM specifications or individual customer specifications. Multi-million dollar inventory stored in 12,000 sq ft warehouse.
4. Locomotive Leasing: Short-term and long-term lease options for Switcher and Main Line Freight Locomotives, with or without maintenance. Options include customized traction control, AESS, and remote control systems.
5. Locomotive Service & Repair: Field service with 5 mobile trucks equipped with cranes and welders, over-the-road trucks including semi-trailer for larger components. Services locomotives within 350 miles of Minooka headquarters.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Motive Power Resources, Inc. is an AAR-certified independent locomotive manufacturer and rebuilder based in Minooka, Illinois. The company buys, sells, rebuilds, leases, and services diesel and battery-electric locomotives, and supplies rebuilt OEM-spec components for Class 1, regional, and shortline railroads, leasing companies, and industrial, agricultural, ethanol, military, and utility users across the U.S. and Canada. Its service portfolio spans pre-owned locomotive sales, full and mid-level rebuilds, custom new builds, parts, leasing, mobile field service, and zero-emission battery electric locomotive manufacturing through its partnership with Innovative Rail Technologies (IRT).

Product overview

Motive Power Resources is an independent locomotive sales, rebuilding, and service company operating from Minooka, IL. The company offers a portfolio of complementary services: (1) Pre-owned locomotive sales through its Browse Locomotives inventory, featuring EMD switcher and GP-series units in various conditions; (2) Locomotive Rebuilds that extend locomotive life by up to 20 years at ~40% the cost of new builds; (3) Locomotive New-Builds for custom manufacturing from scratch; (4) Parts & Components including a 12,000 sq ft warehouse with rebuilt OEM-spec components backed by a 1-year warranty; (5) Locomotive Leasing (short and long-term, with or without maintenance); (6) Field Service with mobile service trucks operating within 350 miles; and (7) Battery Electric Zero-Emission Locomotives manufactured in partnership with Innovative Rail Technologies (IRT). The company also serves as an authorized dealer for Tractive Power Corporation's TP56 industrial locomotive switcher. Founded in 2007 by Steve Bomba, MPR has sold over 500 locomotives and employs approximately 50 staff.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pre-Owned Locomotive Sales Sale of pre-owned locomotives from inventory, including Switcher (SW1200, SW1500) and GP-series units (GP9, GP15, GP20, GP40-3) plus NRE Genset units in conditions ranging from Ready for Service to In Rebuild to Core for Repower. Targets Class 1, regional, and shortline railroads, leasing companies, and industrial users.
• Locomotive Rebuilds Full and mid-level locomotive rebuilds that disassemble units down to the frame, rebuild or replace mechanical, electrical, and rotating parts, and add up to 20 years to locomotive life (mid-level overhauls add 7-10 years). Saves an average of 40% versus purchasing new. AAR-certified for interchange with Class 1 railroads.
• Locomotive New-Builds Custom manufacturing of locomotives from scratch using modern technology and components, with customers able to choose styles, colors, and external/internal components to meet specific operational requirements.
• Parts & Components Full line of quality rebuilt locomotive components offered on unit exchange basis or outright purchase, rebuilt to OEM specifications or to individual customer specifications. Backed by a full 1-year warranty, with a multi-million dollar inventory housed in a 12,000 sq ft warehouse with a modern Parts Distribution System Facility.
• Locomotive Leasing Short-term and long-term lease options for Switcher and Main Line Freight Locomotives, with or without maintenance, including customized traction control, AESS, and remote control systems. Includes lease-to-own flexibility and is offered at industry competitive pricing.
• Locomotive Service & Maintenance Field service for EMD and GE locomotive systems covering electrical, mechanical, air brake, and general repair, delivered via five full-service mobile trucks equipped with cranes and welders plus over-the-road trucks including a semi-trailer for larger components. Services locomotives within 350 miles of the Minooka, IL headquarters.
• Battery Electric Zero-Emission Locomotives Zero-emission battery electric locomotives designed by Innovative Rail Technologies and manufactured by MPR as IRT's manufacturing partner, including battery configurations to retrofit existing diesel locomotives for use in the U.S. and Canada. Positions MPR as a premier manufacturing facility for lithium-ion locomotives in the U.S.
• TP56 Industrial Locomotive Switcher (Authorized Dealer) Fully-customizable industrial locomotive switcher built by Tractive Power Corporation and distributed by MPR as an authorized dealer. Features better overall performance, lower maintenance, readily-available off-the-shelf components, greater fuel savings, and lower overall life-cycle costs. Designed for steel mills, paper mills, chemical companies, ports, and grain elevators.

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and major.

• Tractive Power CorporationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMPR is a proud authorized dealer of Tractive Power Corp. locomotives. Tractive Power Corp., founded by Frank Donnely in 2010, provides quality locomotives for industrial uses including steel mills, paper mills, chemical companies, ports, and grain elevators.
• Innovative Rail Technologies (IRT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIRT's manufacturing partner for battery electric locomotives. IRT is the largest manufacturer of battery electric locomotives in North America. MPR is expanding facilities to increase production of IRT-designed battery electric locomotives and battery configurations to retrofit diesel locomotives for the US and Canada.
• Illinois Manufacturers' AssociationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation supporting IRT's 'Powering Tomorrow Illinois' campaign with Illinois-focused supplier strategy.
• Dominion EnergymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner on Fort Hood resiliency project, producing zero-emission battery electric locomotive capable of pulling Abrams tanks and providing 2.4 megawatts of backup emergency power.
• YMER Technology Inc.supportingOthersIllinois supplier partner in IRT's supply chain for battery electric locomotives, located in Buffalo Grove.
• TCCIsupportingOthersIllinois supplier partner in Decatur for IRT's battery electric locomotive supply chain.
• Chip's Tool and Machine WorkssupportingOthersIllinois supplier partner in Peoria for IRT's supply chain.
• Isolation Dynamics CorporationsupportingOthersIllinois supplier partner in Aurora for IRT's battery electric locomotive supply chain.
• 5 Tool GroupsupportingOthersIllinois supplier partner in Peoria for IRT's supply chain.
• Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO)supportingOthersREV Illinois Tax Credit Program administrator. MPR approved for program committing to 16 new jobs, retention of 40 jobs, and $3.218M capital investment.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MPRxInc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/motive-power-resources-inc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Motive Power Resources