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                                                                     EXHIBIT 5.1

                            DOEPKEN KEEVICAN & WEISS
                            PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION
                                600 Grant Street
                                   58th Floor
                         Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219
                               Phone: 412-355-2600
                                Fax: 412-355-2609

                                                August 18, 1999

MotivePower Industries, Inc.
Two Gateway Center, 14th Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

                  Re:      Registration Statement on Form S-8
                           ----------------------------------

Gentlemen and Ladies:

         We have acted as special counsel to MotivePower Industries, Inc. (the
"Company") in connection with the preparation of a Registration Statement on
Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement") under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Act"), relating to up to 150,000 shares of common stock of the
Company (the "Common Stock") issuable to employees of the Company under the
MotivePower Industries, Inc. Savings Plan (the "Plan").

         In connection with this opinion, we have examined, among other things:

         (1)      the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as
                  amended to date;

         (2)      resolutions adopted by the board of directors of the Company
                  adopting the Plan; and

         (3)      the Plan, as currently in effect.

         Based upon the foregoing and upon an examination of such other
documents, corporate proceedings, statutes, decisions and questions of law as we
considered necessary in order to enable us to furnish this opinion, and subject
to the assumptions set forth above, we are pleased to advise you that in our
opinion:

         (a)      The Company has been duly incorporated and is a validly
                  existing corporation under the laws of the Commonwealth of
                  Pennsylvania; and

         (b)      The shares of Common Stock being registered and issuable by
                  the Company pursuant to the provisions of the Plan have been
                  duly authorized, and are, or upon such issuance in accordance
                  with the provisions of the Plan, will be, validly issued,
                  fully paid and nonassessable.

         We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the
Registration Statement.

                                             Yours truly,

                                            /s/ Doepken Keevican & Weiss
                                                Professional Corporation