The reasons that Metra went to MPI for their units is because they were the only manufacturer that met the bid specifications. The crashworthiness standards have changed since EMD and GE built their last passenger locomotives, and both must have decided that the cost of designing a new unit from the rails up was not cost effective for a 27 unit order.
There is more to designing a locomotive than throwing a hood over an engine and trucks and then deciding how to paint it. Some things like frame harmonics, weight distribution, noise supression, interaction of lateral, buff and draft forces, crashworthiness, etc., etc., all have to be carefully evaluated and considered.
I think you better be careful about throwing around the term junk in relation to the MPI units. Most of the components used in their construction are either the same ones used by EMD (air brakes, radiator cores, air compressor, etc.), or derivatives of EMD designs (prime mover, traction motors, trucks, alternator, etc.) The carbody construction is similar in design to a F59PHI, with the extra space for the separate HEP plant.
And, no, they aren't built on a farm. For information on how these locomotives were designed and built there is an excellent article in the May / June 2003 issue of Diesel Era.
Before you bad-mouth these, or any other locomotive by any manufacturer, you better have some facts to back you up, instead of spouting off like some railroader wanna-be foamer.