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Retirement Plans (Narrative) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2011
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
General Discussion of Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits | The Company has five retirement plans which cover its hourly and salaried employees in the United States: three defined benefit plans (one active / two frozen) and two defined contribution plans. Employees are eligible to participate in the appropriate plan based on employment classification. The Company's funding to the defined benefit and defined contribution plans are governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), applicable plan policy and investment guidelines. The Company policy is to contribute at least the minimum in accordance with the funding standards of ERISA.The Company's subsidiary, L.B. Foster Rail Technologies (Rail Technologies), maintains two defined contribution plans for its employees in Canada, as well as a post-retirement benefit plan. In the United Kingdom, Rail Technologies maintains both a defined contribution plan and a defined benefit plan. These plans are discussed in further detail below |  |
Defined Contribution Plan, Cost Recognized | $ 2,553 | $ 2,492 | $ 2,237
Salaried Benefit Plan [Member] |  |  |
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Description of Postemployment Benefits | The Company has a domestic defined contribution plan that covers all non-union hourly and all salaried employees (Salaried Plan). The Salaried Plan permits both pre-tax and after-tax employee contributions. Participants can contribute, subject to statutory limitations, between 1% and 75% of eligible pre-tax pay and between 1% and 100% of eligible after-tax pay. The Company's employer match is 100% of the first 1% of deferred eligible compensation and up to 50% of the next 6%, based on years of service, of deferred eligible compensation, for a total maximum potential match of 4%. The Company may also make discretionary contributions to the Salaried Plan. |  |
Defined Contribution Plan, Cost Recognized | 2,077 | 2,028 | 1,846
Union Benefit Plan [Member] |  |  |
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Description of Postemployment Benefits | The Company also has a domestic defined contribution plan for union hourly employees with contributions made by both the participants and the Company based on various formulas (Union Plan). |  |
Defined Contribution Plan, Cost Recognized | 74 | 79 | 62
Canadian Employees [Member] |  |  |
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Description of Postemployment Benefits | The Company's Rail Technologies subsidiary maintains a defined contribution plan covering all non-union employees at its Montreal, Quebec, Canada location (Montreal Plan). Under the terms of the Montreal Plan, Rail Technologies may contribute 4% of each employee's compensation as a non-elective contribution and may also contribute 30% of the first 6% of each employee's compensation contributed to the Montreal Plan. |  |
United Kingdom Benefit Plans [Member] |  |  |
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
General Discussion of Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits | During 2010, the Conveyors International Limited Pension Plan (Conveyors plan) was merged with the Portec Rail Products (UK) Limited Pension Plan (Portec Rail Plan) a defined benefit pension plan in the United Kingdom. The combined Portec Rail Plan covers some current employees, former employees and retirees of the original Portec Rail Plan along with former employees of the Conveyors plan. The Portec Rail Plan has been frozen to new entrants since April 1, 1997 and also covers the former employees of the Conveyors plan after January 2002. Benefits under the Portec Rail Plan, including the former Conveyors plan, were based on years of service and eligible compensation during defined periods of service. Our funding policy for the Portec Rail Plan is to make minimum annual contributions required by applicable regulations |  |
Defined Benefit Plan, Estimated Future Employer Contributions in Next Fiscal Year | 298 |  |
Defined Benefit Plan, Contributions by Employer | 303 | 297 |
Description of Postemployment Benefits | The subsidiary also maintains a defined contribution plan covering substantially all employees at its United Kingdom locations (U.K. Plan). Benefits under the U.K. Plan are provided under no formal written agreement. Under the terms of the defined contribution U.K. Plan, Rail Technologies may make non-elective contributions of between 3% and 10% of each employee's compensation. |  |
Defined Contribution Plan, Cost Recognized | 136 | 116 | 122
United States Pension Plans of US Entity, Defined Benefit [Member] |  |  |
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Defined Benefit Plan, Future Amortization of Gain (Loss) | 65 |  |
Defined Benefit Plan, Estimated Future Employer Contributions in Next Fiscal Year | 448 |  |
Defined Benefit Plan, Contributions by Employer | $ 496 | $ 758 |

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- Definition The increase in the fair value of plan assets from contributions made by the employer. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (b)(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28361610&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
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- Definition Amount included in accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) related to gain (loss) expected to be recognized as components of net periodic benefit cost for the fiscal year that follows the most recent annual statement of financial position. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Amount of employer's best estimate of contributions expected to be paid to the plan during the next fiscal year beginning after the date of the latest statement of financial position. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (g) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28361610&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
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- Definition The amount of the cost recognized during the period for defined contribution plans. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 70 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6414718&loc=d3e28014-114942 + Details
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- Definition Description of benefits provided to former or inactive employees, their beneficiaries, and covered dependents after employment but before retirement, except for: a) benefits provided through a pension or postretirement benefit plan, b) individual deferred compensation arrangements, c) termination benefits pertaining to exit or disposal activities, and d) stock compensation plans. Benefits may be provided in cash or in kind and may be paid as a result of disability, layoff, death, or other event. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 712 -SubTopic 10 -Section 15 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6410066&loc=d3e79194-111664 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Nonretirement Postemployment Benefits -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6518940 + Details
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- Definition Description of and general information regarding the types of plans utilized by the employer. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28361610&loc=d3e1928-114920 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28361610&loc=d3e2417-114920 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28361610&loc=d3e2410-114920 + Details
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