UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-A
                      
                FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                          MotivePower Industries, Inc.
                          ----------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

               Delaware                                82-0461010
               --------                                ----------
(State of Incorporation or Organization)    (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

          1200 Reedsdale Street
              Pittsburgh, PA                             15233
              --------------                             -----
(Address of principal executive offices)               (Zip Code)

Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

        Title of each class                     Name of each exchange on which
        to be so registered                     each class is to be registered
        -------------------                     ------------------------------

       Share Purchase Rights                        New York Stock Exchange

If this Form relates to the  registration  of a class of debt  securities and is
effective upon filing pursuant to General Instruction A.(c)(1), please check the
following box. [ ]

If this Form relates to the registration of a class of debt securities and is to
become  effective   simultaneously   with  the  effectiveness  of  a  concurrent
registration  statement  under the  Securities  Act of 1933  pursuant to General
Instruction A.(c)(2), please check the following box. [ ]

Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:           None



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Item 1.  Description of the Registrant's Securities to be Registered.
         ------------------------------------------------------------

         On January 19, 1996 (the "Rights Dividend Declaration Date"), the Board
of  Directors  of  MotivePower  Industries,   Inc.  (the  "Company")  adopted  a
Stockholder Rights Plan and declared that a dividend of one share purchase right
("Right") be distributed on each  outstanding  share of Common Stock,  par value
$0.01 per share ("Common  Stock"),  to stockholders of record as of the close of
business on January 30, 1996 (the "Record  Date").  The terms of the Stockholder
Rights  Plan are set forth in a Rights  Agreement  dated as of January  19, 1996
between the Company and Chemical Mellon Shareholder Services,  L.L.C., as Rights
Agent (the "Rights  Agent"),  as amended as of April 5, 1996,  June 20, 1996 and
July 25, 1996 (the "Rights Agreement").

         Each Right entitles the registered  holder to purchase from the Company
one-hundredth of a share of Series C Junior  Participating  Preferred Stock, par
value $0.01 per share ("Preferred Stock"), or, in certain circumstances,  shares
of Common Stock, other securities,  and/or cash or other property, at a Purchase
Price of $16.00 per share of Preferred Stock (or, when applicable, Common Stock,
securities,  cash, and/or other property),  subject to adjustment. All shares of
Common Stock  outstanding on the Record Date are entitled to receive Rights.  In
addition,  all shares of Common Stock issued prior to the Distribution Date will
be issued with Rights. All certificates for Common Stock issued after the Record
Date and prior to the Distribution Date will contain a legend  incorporating the
Rights Agreement by reference.

         Initially,   the  Rights   attached  to  the  shares  of  Common  Stock
outstanding  on  the  Record  Date,  and no  separate  Right  Certificates  were
distributed.  The Rights will detach from the outstanding shares of Common Stock
and  separate  Right  Certificates  will be issued when there is a  Distribution
Date.  Until a  Distribution  Date  occurs,  the Rights will be evidenced by the
certificate  for the shares of Common Stock.  The Rights will transfer with (and
only with) the shares of Common Stock to which such Rights are attached, and the
transfer of any  certificate  for Common Stock will also constitute the transfer
of the  Rights  attached  to the  shares of  Common  Stock  represented  by such
certificate.

         A  "Distribution  Date"  will  occur on (i) the tenth day  following  a
public  announcement  that a person has become an Acquiring  Person (the date of
such  public  announcement  being  the  "Stock  Acquisition  Date"),  or (ii) if
earlier,  the tenth business day (or such later date as may be determined by the
Board of Directors prior to such time as any person becomes an Acquiring Person)
following the  commencement  or  announcement of a tender or exchange offer that
would result in a person or group of affiliated or associated  persons  becoming
the Beneficial Owner of 15% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock.

         An "Acquiring  Person" is a person or group of affiliated or associated
persons that Beneficially  Owns 15% or more of the outstanding  shares of Common
Stock but does not include  (1) the  Company,  its  subsidiaries,  any  employee
benefit plan of the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries,  or any entity  holding
shares of Common Stock pursuant to the terms of any such plan; (2) any person or
group that  Beneficially  Owns 15% or more of the  outstanding  shares of Common
Stock on or prior to the  Rights  Dividend  Declaration  Date (a  "Grandfathered
Stockholder"),   unless  such  Grandfathered   Stockholder  thereafter  acquires


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additional  shares of Common  Stock or  unless,  in the case of a  Grandfathered
Stockholder who  Beneficially  Owns 20% or more of the Common Stock, a Change of
Control  Event occurs with respect to such  Grandfathered  Stockholder;  (3) any
person  or  group  that  becomes  the  Beneficial  Owner  of 15% or  more of the
outstanding  shares of Common  Stock  solely as a result of the  acquisition  of
Common Stock by the  Company,  unless such person or group  thereafter  acquires
additional  shares of Common  Stock;  or (4) subject to certain  conditions  set
forth in the Rights  Agreement,  a person  that  otherwise  would have become an
Acquiring Person as a result of an inadvertent acquisition of 15% or more of the
outstanding  shares of Common Stock. A "Change of Control Event" with respect to
a  Grandfathered  Stockholder  who  Beneficially  Owns 20% or more of the Common
Stock  occurs  (A) upon the  acquisition  by any  person or group of  Beneficial
Ownership of securities of the Grandfathered Stockholder representing either (i)
50% or more of the  combined  voting  power of the  Grandfathered  Stockholder's
then-outstanding  voting securities or (ii) the right to elect a majority of the
Grandfathered   Stockholder's  Board  of  Directors;  (B)  upon  the  merger  or
consolidation  of the  Grandfathered  Stockholder  with or into any other person
(other  than  a  wholly-owned  subsidiary  of  such  Grandfathered  Stockholder)
pursuant  to a  transaction  in which  the  holders  of the  outstanding  voting
securities  of  such  Grandfathered   Stockholder   immediately  prior  to  such
transaction  do  not  Beneficially  Own,  immediately  after  such  transaction,
nonredeemable  securities of the surviving entity  representing  both (i) 50% or
more of the combined  voting power of such surviving  entity's  then-outstanding
voting  securities  and (ii) the  right  to  elect  at least a  majority  of the
surviving  entity's  Board of  Directors;  or (C) if,  during  any period of two
consecutive  years,  individuals who at the beginning of such period constituted
the Board of Directors of such Grandfathered  Stockholder (together with any new
directors  whose  election or nomination for election was approved by at least a
majority of the directors then still in office who were either  directors at the
beginning  of such  period or whose  election or  nomination  for  election  was
previously  so  approved)  cease for any reason to  constitute a majority of the
Board of Directors of such Grandfathered Stockholder.

         The Rights are not  exercisable  until the  Distribution  Date and will
expire at the close of  business  on January  30,  2006 (the  "Final  Expiration
Date"),  unless the Final  Expiration  Date is extended or unless the Rights are
earlier redeemed or exchanged by the Company, in each case, as described below.

         As soon as  practicable  after the  Distribution  Date,  separate Right
Certificates  will be mailed to the holders of record of Common  Stock as of the
Distribution Date, and, thereafter,  the Right Certificates alone will represent
the Rights.

         The Purchase  Price  payable upon exercise of the Rights and the number
of  shares  of  Preferred  Stock  (and the  amount  of other  securities  and/or
property, if any) issuable upon exercise of the Rights are subject to adjustment
from time to time to  prevent  dilution  in the event  that (i) there is a stock
dividend on, or a subdivision, combination, or reclassification of the Preferred
Stock,  or (ii) the  holders of  Preferred  Stock are granted  certain  options,
warrants,  or rights to subscribe for or purchase  shares of Preferred Stock (or
equivalent  Preferred Stock) or securities  convertible into Preferred Stock (or
securities convertible into equivalent Preferred Stock) at a price less than the


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current market price of Preferred  Stock, or (iii) any evidences of indebtedness
or assets (other than regular  quarterly cash dividends or dividends  payable in
shares of Preferred  Stock) or any  subscription  rights or warrants (other than
rights,  options,  or  warrants  of the type  referred to in clause (ii) of this
paragraph) are distributed to the holders of Preferred Stock.

         Subject to certain exceptions as set forth in the Rights Agreement,  no
adjustment  in  the  Purchase  Price  will  be  required  until  the  cumulative
adjustments amount to 1% of the Purchase Price.

         The number of outstanding  Rights and the number of one  one-hundredths
of a share of  Preferred  Stock  issuable  upon  exercise of each Right are also
subject to  adjustment  in the event of a stock  split of the Common  Stock or a
stock  dividend on the shares of Common Stock  payable in shares of Common Stock
or subdivisions,  consolidations,  or combinations of the shares of Common Stock
occurring, in any such case, prior to the Distribution Date.

         No fractional  shares of Preferred Stock (other than fractions that are
integral multiples of one  one-hundredths of a share of Preferred Stock,  which,
at the election of the Company, may be evidenced by depository receipts) will be
issued upon exercise of the Rights, but, in lieu thereof, a cash adjustment will
be paid to the holder of the  exercised  Rights based on the market price of the
Preferred Stock on the last trading date prior to the date of exercise.

         Shares of Preferred Stock  purchasable upon exercise of the Rights will
not be  redeemable  and will rank junior to all other  classes and series of the
Company's  preferred stock. The dividend,  liquidation,  and voting rights,  and
non-redemption features of the Preferred Stock are designed so that the value of
a one  one-hundredth  interest in a share of Preferred  Stock  purchasable  upon
exercise  of each  Right  should  approximate  the  value of one share of Common
Stock.  Each  whole  share of  Preferred  Stock  will be  entitled  to receive a
quarterly  preferential  dividend  equal to the  greater of (a) $1.00 or (b) 100
times the dividend  declared with respect to each share of Common Stock.  In the
event of liquidation, the holders of each whole share of Preferred Stock will be
entitled to receive a preferential  liquidation  payment equal to the greater of
(a) $100.00 or (b) 100 times the payment  made per share of Common  Stock.  Each
share of Preferred Stock will have 100 votes, voting together with the shares of
Common  Stock.  Finally,  in the event of any  merger,  consolidation,  or other
transaction  in which shares of Common Stock are  exchanged  for or changed into
other stock or securities,  cash, and/or other property, each share of Preferred
Stock will be  entitled to receive  100 times the amount  received  per share of
Common  Stock.   These  rights  and   preferences  are  protected  by  customary
anti-dilution provisions.

         Once a person has become an Acquiring  Person,  all Rights that are, or
(under  certain   circumstances   specified  in  the  Rights   Agreement)  were,
Beneficially Owned by an Acquiring Person will be null and void.
         In the event  that any  person  becomes  an  Acquiring  Person,  proper
provision  shall be made so that each holder of a Right (other than a Right that
is or was  Beneficially  Owned by an  Acquiring  Person that has become null and
void pursuant to the terms of the Rights  Agreement),  shall thereafter have the
right to receive  upon  exercise  of such Right that  number of shares of Common
Stock (or, in certain  circumstances,  Preferred  Stock) having a value equal to
two times the then-current Purchase Price.

         In the event  that,  at any time after a person  becomes  an  Acquiring


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Person,  (i) the Company is acquired in a merger or other business  combination,
or (ii)  50% or more of the  assets  or  earning  power of the  Company  and its
Subsidiaries  (taken  as a  whole)  is sold  or  otherwise  transferred,  proper
provision  will be made so that each holder of a Right  (other than a Right that
is or was  Beneficially  Owned by an  Acquiring  Person that has become null and
void pursuant to the terms of the Rights  Agreement)  shall  thereafter have the
right to receive  upon  exercise of such Right,  in lieu of shares of  Preferred
Stock, shares of common stock of the acquiror then having a current market value
equal to two times the  then-current  Purchase Price.  The events referred to in
the  preceding  paragraph  and in  clauses  (i) and (ii) of this  paragraph  are
hereinafter referred to as "Triggering Events."

         At any time prior to the time any person  becomes an Acquiring  Person,
the Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in
part,  at a price of $0.001 per Right,  subject to adjustment  (the  "Redemption
Price").  The  redemption  of the Rights may be made  effective at such time, on
such  basis,  and with such  conditions  as the Board of  Directors  in its sole
discretion may  establish.  Immediately  upon any redemption of the Rights,  the
right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of
Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.

         At any time after any person becomes an Acquiring Person,  and prior to
the time any person (other than a Grandfathered Stockholder, the Company, any of
its  Subsidiaries,  any  employee  benefit  plan  of the  Company  or any of its
Subsidiaries,  and any entity  holding  shares of Common  Stock  pursuant to the
terms of any  such  plan)  becomes  the  Beneficial  Owner of 50% or more of the
outstanding  shares of Common Stock, the Company may, at the option and election
of the  Board of  Directors,  exchange  shares of  Common  Stock (or in  certain
circumstances,   shares  of  Preferred  Stock)  for  all  or  any  part  of  the
then-outstanding  and  unexercised  Rights  (other  than Rights that are or were
Beneficially  Owned  by an  Acquiring  Person  that  have  become  null and void
pursuant to the terms of the Rights  Agreement) at an exchange rate of one share
of Common Stock (or in certain  circumstances,  one  one-hundredth of a share of
Preferred  Stock)  per  Right,  appropriately  adjusted  to  reflect  any  stock
dividend,  stock  split,  reverse  stock  split,  or other  similar  transaction
occurring after the Rights Dividend Declaration Date.

         The terms of the Rights may be amended by the Board of Directors of the
Company  without the consent of the holders of the Rights,  except that from and
after  such time as any  person or group of  affiliated  or  associated  persons
becomes an Acquiring Person no such amendment may adversely affect the interests
of the holders of the Rights  (other  than Rights that are or were  Beneficially
Owned by an  Acquiring  Person that have  become  null and void  pursuant to the
terms of the Rights  Agreement).  The  Company's  Board of  Directors  exclusive
authority to  interpret  and  administer  the Rights  Agreement  and to make all
determinations deemed necessary or advisable for its administration, including a
determination  to redeem or not redeem the Rights,  to exchange or not  exchange
the Rights or to supplement or amend the Rights Agreement.


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         Until a Right is exercised,  the holder thereof,  as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends.



Item 2.  Exhibits..

         The Exhibit Index appearing on page 8 hereof is incorporated  herein by
reference.


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                                    SIGNATURE

         Pursuant  to the  requirements  of  Section  12 of the  Securities  and
Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this registration statement
to be signed on its behalf of the undersigned, thereto duly authorized.

                          MotivePower Industries, Inc.
                          ----------------------------

                          By:/s/ William D. Grab
                          ----------------------
                            William D. Grab
                            Vice President, Controller
                            and Principal Accounting Officer



Date:    July 31, 1997




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                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
         Description                                                        Page

                                                                             
 (1)     Rights  Agreement,  dated as of January 19, 1996,  between the
         Company and Chemical Mellon Shareholder  Services,  L.L.C., as
         rights agent (the "Rights Agent"),  which includes the form of
         Certificate  of  Designations  setting  forth the terms of the
         Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.01
         per share, of the Company,  as Exhibit A thereto  (included as
         an  exhibit  to the Form  8-K of the  Company  filed  with the
         Commission  on January  31,  1996 and  incorporated  herein by
         reference).

(2)      Amendment  to  Rights  Agreement  dated as of  April  5,  1996
         between  the  Company  and the Rights  Agent  (included  as an
         exhibit to Amendment  No. 1 on Form 8-A/A of the Company filed
         with the Commission on April 25, 1996 and incorporated  herein
         by reference).

(3)      Second Amendment to Rights Agreement dated as of June 20, 1996
         between  the  Company  and the Rights  Agent  (included  as an
         exhibit to Amendment  No. 2 on Form 8-A/A of the Company filed
         with the Commission on July 3, 1996 and incorporated herein by
         reference).

(4)      Third  Amendment to Rights Agreement dated as of July 25, 1996
         between the Company and the Rights Agent.                             9

(5)      Form of Right Certificate  (included as an exhibit to the Form
         8-K of the Company  filed with the  Commission  on January 31,
         1996 and incorporated herein by reference).

(6)      All exhibits required by Instruction  II to  Item  2  will  be 
         supplied to the New York Stock Exchange.


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