Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of L.B. Foster Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, joint ventures, and partnerships in which a controlling interest is held. Inter-company transactions and accounts have been eliminated. The Company utilizes the equity method of accounting for companies where its ownership is less than or equal to 50% and significant influence exists. L.B. Foster Company (“Company”) is a leading manufacturer and distributor of products and service provider for transportation and energy infrastructure with locations in North America and Europe. The Company is organized and operates in three business segments: Rail Products and Services (“Rail”), Construction Products (“Construction”), and Tubular and Energy Services (“Tubular and Energy”). The Rail segment is comprised of several manufacturing and distribution businesses that provide a variety of products and services for freight and passenger railroads and industrial companies throughout the world. The Construction segment is composed of piling, fabricated bridge, and precast concrete product offerings across North America. The Tubular and Energy segment provides products and services predominantly to the U.S. mid and upstream oil and gas markets. During the fourth quarter of 2018, the Company changed its method of accounting for certain inventory in the United States from the last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) method to the average cost method. All prior periods presented have been retrospectively adjusted to apply the new method of accounting. See Note 6 for more information on the change in inventory accounting method. Use of estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates and changes in these estimates are recorded when known. Significant accounting policies Cash and cash equivalents The Company considers cash and other instruments with maturities of three months or less, when purchased, to be cash and cash equivalents. The Company invests available funds in a manner to maximize returns, preserve investment principal, and maintain liquidity, while seeking the highest yield available. Cash and cash equivalents held in non-domestic accounts were $8,058 and $35,807 as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Included in non-domestic cash equivalents are investments in bank term deposits of approximately $16 and $17 as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. The carrying amounts approximated fair value because of the short maturity of the instruments. Inventory Inventory is valued at the lower of average cost or net realizable value. On October 1, 2018, the Company changed its method of accounting for certain inventory in the United States from the LIFO method to the average cost method. All prior periods have been retrospectively adjusted to apply the new method of accounting. Slow-moving inventory is reviewed and adjusted regularly, based upon product knowledge, physical inventory observation, inventory turnover, and the age of the inventory. Inventory contains product costs, including inbound freight, direct labor, overhead costs relating to the manufacturing and distribution of products, and absorption costs representing the excess manufacturing or production costs over the amounts charged to the cost of sales or services. Property, plant, and equipment Depreciation and amortization are provided on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of 5 to 40 years for buildings and 2 to 13 years for machinery and equipment. Leasehold improvements are amortized over 5 to 20 years, which represent the lives of the respective leases or the lives of the improvements, whichever is shorter. Depreciation expense is recorded within “Cost of sales or services” and “Selling and administrative expenses” based upon the particular asset’s use. The Company reviews a long-lived asset for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the asset may not be recoverable. We recognize an impairment loss if the carrying amount of a long-lived asset is not recoverable and exceeds its fair value. There were no property, plant, and equipment impairments recorded for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017. Maintenance, repairs, and minor renewals are charged to operations as incurred. Major renewals and betterments that substantially extend the useful life of the property are capitalized at cost. Upon sale or other disposition of assets, the costs and related accumulated depreciation and amortization are removed from the accounts and the resulting gain or loss, if any, is reflected in “Other income or loss.” Allowance for doubtful accounts The allowance for doubtful accounts is recorded to reflect the estimated realization of the Company’s accounts receivable and includes assessment of the probability of collection and the credit-worthiness of certain customers. Reserves for uncollectible accounts are recorded as part of “Selling and administrative expenses” on the Consolidated Statements of Operations. The Company reviews its accounts receivable aging and calculates an allowance through application of historic reserve factors to overdue receivables. This calculation is supplemented by specific account reviews performed by the Company’s credit department. As necessary, the application of the Company’s allowance rates to specific customers is reviewed and adjusted to more accurately reflect the credit risk inherent within that customer relationship. Goodwill and other intangible assets Goodwill is the cost of an acquisition less the fair value of the identifiable net assets of the acquired business. Goodwill is tested annually for impairment or more often if there are indicators of impairment within a reporting unit. A reporting unit is an operating segment or a component of an operating segment for which discrete financial information is available and reviewed by management on a regular basis. The goodwill impairment test involves comparing the fair value of a reporting unit to its carrying value, including goodwill. If the carrying amount of the reporting unit exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss equal to the excess amount up to the goodwill balance is recorded as a component of operations. The Company performs its annual impairment tests in the fourth quarter. The Company's fourth quarter 2018 annual test included the assessment of qualitative factors to determine whether it was more likely than not that the fair value of each reporting unit is less than its carrying value. The qualitative assessment encompassed a review of events and circumstances specific to each reporting unit with goodwill, as well as specific to the entity as a whole. The Company's qualitative assessment considered, among other things, factors such as macroeconomic conditions, industry and market considerations, including changes in the Company's stock price and market multiples, projected financial performance, cost factors, changes in carrying values, and other relevant factors. Considering the totality of the qualitative factors assessed, based on the weight of evidence, no circumstances existed that would indicate it was more likely than not that goodwill was impaired. There was no goodwill impairment recognized during 2018 or 2017. The Company continues to monitor the recoverability of the long-lived assets associated with certain reporting units of the Company and the long-term financial projections of the businesses. Sustained declines in the markets we serve may result in future long-lived asset impairment. The Company has no indefinite-lived intangible assets. The Company reviews a long-lived intangible asset for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the asset may not be recoverable. All intangible assets are amortized over their estimated useful lives. There were no definite-lived intangible asset impairments during the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017. Environmental remediation and compliance Environmental remediation costs are accrued when the liability is probable and costs are estimable. Environmental compliance costs, which principally include the disposal of waste generated by routine operations, are expensed as incurred. Capitalized environmental costs, when appropriate, are depreciated over their useful life. Reserves are not reduced by potential claims for recovery and are not discounted. Claims for recovery are recognized as agreements are reached with third parties or as amounts are received. Reserves are periodically reviewed throughout the year and adjusted to reflect current remediation progress, prospective estimates of required activity, and other factors that may be relevant, including changes in technology or regulations. See Note 19 for additional information regarding the Company’s outstanding environmental and litigation reserves. Revenue recognition On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted Accounting Standard Update No. (“ASU”) 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606),” and all the related amendments using the modified retrospective approach, which did not result in any changes to the previously reported financial information. The updates related to ASU 2014-09 were applied only to contracts that were not complete as of January 1, 2018. Deferred revenue consists of customer billings or payments received for which the revenue recognition criteria have not yet been met as well as contract liabilities (billings in excess of costs) on over time contracts. Advanced payments from customers typically relate to contracts with respect to which the Company has significantly fulfilled its obligations, but due to the Company’s continuing involvement with the project, revenue is precluded from being recognized until the performance obligation is met for the customer. See Note 3 for additional information. Product warranty The Company maintains a current warranty liability for the repair or replacement of defective products. For certain manufactured products, an accrual is made on a monthly basis as a percentage of cost of sales based upon historical experience. For long-lived construction products, a warranty is established when the claim is known and quantifiable. The product warranty accrual is periodically adjusted based on the identification or resolution of known individual product warranty claims or due to changes in the Company’s historical warranty experience. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017, the product warranty reserve was $2,057 and $8,682, respectively. See Note 19 for additional information regarding the product warranty. Income taxes Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred taxes are measured using enacted tax laws and rates expected to be in effect when such differences are recovered or settled. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred taxes is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date of the change. The Company makes judgments regarding the recognition of deferred tax assets and the future realization of these assets. As prescribed by ASC 740, “Income Taxes” and applicable guidance, valuation allowances must be provided for those deferred tax assets for which it is more likely than not (a likelihood of more than 50%) that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The guidance requires the Company to evaluate positive and negative evidence regarding the recoverability of deferred tax assets. The determination of whether the positive evidence outweighs the negative evidence and quantification of the valuation allowance requires the Company to make estimates and judgments of future financial results. The Company has concluded that for purposes of quantifying valuation allowances, it would be appropriate to consider the reversal of taxable temporary differences related to indefinite-lived intangible assets when assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets that upon reversal, would give rise to operating losses that do not expire. The Company evaluates all tax positions taken on its federal, state, and foreign tax filings to determine if the position is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination. For positions that meet the more likely than not to be sustained criteria, the largest amount of benefit to be realized upon ultimate settlement is determined on a cumulative probability basis. A previously recognized tax position is derecognized when it is subsequently determined that a tax position no longer meets the more likely than not threshold to be sustained. The evaluation of the sustainability of a tax position and the expected tax benefit is based on judgment, historical experience, and various other assumptions. Actual results could differ from those estimates upon subsequent resolution of identified matters. The Company accrues interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in its provision for income taxes. Foreign currency translation The assets and liabilities of our foreign subsidiaries are measured using the local currency as the functional currency and are translated into U.S. dollars at exchange rates as of the balance sheet date. Income statement amounts are translated at the weighted-average rates of exchange during the year. The translation adjustment is accumulated as a separate component of “Accumulated other comprehensive loss” within our Consolidated Balance Sheets. Foreign currency transaction gains and losses are included in net income. For the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, foreign currency transaction gains of approximately $483 and losses of $804, respectively, were included in net (loss) income. Research and development The Company expenses research and development costs as costs are incurred. For the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, research and development expenses were $2,646 and $2,241, respectively, and were principally related to the Company’s friction management and railroad monitoring system products within the Rail Products and Services segment. Reclassifications Certain accounts in the prior year consolidated financial statements have been reclassified for comparative purposes principally to conform to the presentation in the current year period. Recently issued accounting guidance In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842)” (“ASU 2016-02”). The new accounting requirements include the accounting for, presentation of, and classification of leases. The guidance will result in most leases being capitalized as a right-of-use asset with a related liability on our balance sheets. The requirements of the new standard are effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those annual periods. The Company has a significant number of operating leases, and, as a result, expects assets and liabilities of approximately $13,000 to $16,000 to be recognized at adoption on our Consolidated Balance Sheet as right-of-use assets. This adoption is not expected to impact our results of operations or cash flows. The change will not affect the covenants of the Second Amendment to the Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated March 13, 2015. The Company will adopt the accounting standard using a prospective transition approach, which applies the provisions of the adoption as of the effective date without adjusting the comparative periods presented. In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02, “Income Statement – Reporting Comprehensive Income” (“ASU 2018-02”), that will permit companies the option to reclassify stranded tax effects caused by the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”) from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings. Consequently, the amendments eliminate the stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Act and will improve the usefulness of information reported to financial statement users. However, because the amendments only relate to the reclassification of the income tax effects of the Tax Act, the underlying guidance that requires that the effect of a change in tax laws or rates be included in income from continuing operations is not affected. Adoption of the ASU will be optional and a company will need to disclose if it elects not to adopt the ASU. The ASU will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption will be permitted, including adoption in any interim period, for financial statements that have not yet been issued or made available for issuance. Entities will have the option to apply the amendments retrospectively or to record the reclassification as of the beginning of the period of adoption. The Company is evaluating the impact of ASU 2018-02 on its financial position and whether or not it will choose to adopt the ASU. The SEC Disclosure Update and Simplification release adopted certain amendments in August 2018. While most of the amendments eliminate outdated or duplicative disclosure requirements, the final rule amends the interim financial statement requirements to require a reconciliation of changes in stockholders’ equity in the notes to the financial statements or as a separate statement. This analysis should reconcile the beginning balance to the ending balance of each caption in stockholders’ equity for each period for which an income statement is required to be filed and comply with the remaining content requirements of Rule 3-04 of Regulation S-X. As a result, registrants will be required to provide the reconciliation for both the comparable quarterly and year-to-date periods in its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q but only for the year-to-date periods in registration statements, beginning in the first quarter of 2019. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15, "Intangibles - Goodwill and Other - Internal-Use Software" (“ASU 2018-15”). The ASU requires capitalization of certain implementation costs incurred in a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract. The amendments in the ASU are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and for interim periods therein with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the potential impact of the ASU on its consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows. Recently adopted accounting guidance In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, which supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in ASC 605, “Revenue Recognition” (“ASC 605”). ASU 2014-09 is based on the principle that revenue is recognized to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. It also requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue, cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments, and assets recognized from costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract. ASU 2014-09 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within that reporting period. The Company adopted the provisions of ASU 2014-09 on January 1, 2018, using the modified retrospective approach. Revenue from the Company's point in time product and service sales continue to be recognized when products are shipped or services are rendered. Revenue from the Company's product and service sales provided under long-term agreements is recognized as the Company transfers control of the product or renders service to its customers, which approximates the previously used percentage-of-completion method of accounting. The adoption of ASU 2014-09 had no material effect on the Company's financial position, results of operations, cash flows, or backlog, and no adjustment to January 1, 2018 opening retained earnings was needed. The Company has presented the disclosures required by ASC 606 in Note 3. In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-16, “Income Taxes – Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory (Topic 740),” (“ASU 2016-16”) which requires an entity to recognize the income tax consequences of an intra-entity transfer of an asset, other than inventory, when the transfer occurs. The ASU was effective on January 1, 2018 and was adopted by the Company on that date, using the modified retrospective approach. Under this approach, the Company recorded a reduction to its January 1, 2018 opening retained earnings of $305 as a result of prior intra-entity transactions. In March 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-05, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118,” which allowed SEC registrants to record provisional amounts in earnings for the year ended December 31, 2017 due to the complexities involved in accounting for the enactment of the Tax Act enacted on December 22, 2017. The Company recognized estimated income tax effects of the Tax Act in its 2017 Consolidated Financial Statements in accordance with SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118. As of December 31, 2018, we have completed our accounting for the tax effects of the Tax Act. Refer to Note 14 for further information regarding the income tax effects of the Tax Act recorded by the Company. In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-07, “Compensation - Retirement Benefits (Topic 715)” (“ASU 2017-07”), which improves the presentation of net periodic pension cost and net periodic postretirement benefit cost. The guidance requires that the entity report the service cost component in the same line item or items as other compensation costs arising from services rendered by the pertinent employees during the period, and report the other components of net periodic pension cost and net periodic postretirement benefit cost in the income statement separately from the service cost component and not within income from operations. Of the components of net periodic benefit cost, only the service cost component will be eligible for asset capitalization. The new standard is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those annual periods. The adoption of ASU 2017-07 had no impact to the Company's financial statements.

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of L.B. Foster Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, joint ventures, and partnerships in which a controlling interest is held. Inter-company transactions and accounts have been eliminated. The Company utilizes the equity method of accounting for companies where its ownership is less than or equal to 50% and significant influence exists.

L.B. Foster Company (“Company”) is a leading manufacturer and distributor of products and service provider for transportation and energy infrastructure with locations in North America and Europe. The Company is organized and operates in three business segments: Rail Products and Services (“Rail”), Construction Products (“Construction”), and Tubular and Energy Services (“Tubular and Energy”). The Rail segment is comprised of several manufacturing and distribution businesses that provide a variety of products and services for freight and passenger railroads and industrial companies throughout the world. The Construction segment is composed of piling, fabricated bridge, and precast concrete product offerings across North America. The Tubular and Energy segment provides products and services predominantly to the U.S. mid and upstream oil and gas markets.

During the fourth quarter of 2018, the Company changed its method of accounting for certain inventory in the United States from the last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) method to the average cost method. All prior periods presented have been retrospectively adjusted to apply the new method of accounting. See Note 6 for more information on the change in inventory accounting method.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates and changes in these estimates are recorded when known.

Cash and cash equivalents held in non-domestic accounts were $8,058 and $35,807 as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Included in non-domestic cash equivalents are investments in bank term deposits of approximately $16 and $17 as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. The carrying amounts approximated fair value because of the short maturity of the instruments.

Inventory is valued at the lower of average cost or net realizable value. On October 1, 2018, the Company changed its method of accounting for certain inventory in the United States from the LIFO method to the average cost method. All prior periods have been retrospectively adjusted to apply the new method of accounting. Slow-moving inventory is reviewed and adjusted regularly, based upon product knowledge, physical inventory observation, inventory turnover, and the age of the inventory. Inventory contains product costs, including inbound freight, direct labor, overhead costs relating to the manufacturing and distribution of products, and absorption costs representing the excess manufacturing or production costs over the amounts charged to the cost of sales or services.

Depreciation and amortization are provided on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of 5 to 40 years for buildings and 2 to 13 years for machinery and equipment. Leasehold improvements are amortized over 5 to 20 years, which represent the lives of the respective leases or the lives of the improvements, whichever is shorter. Depreciation expense is recorded within “Cost of sales or services” and “Selling and administrative expenses” based upon the particular asset’s use. The Company reviews a long-lived asset for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the asset may not be recoverable. We recognize an impairment loss if the carrying amount of a long-lived asset is not recoverable and exceeds its fair value. There were no property, plant, and equipment impairments recorded for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017.

Maintenance, repairs, and minor renewals are charged to operations as incurred. Major renewals and betterments that substantially extend the useful life of the property are capitalized at cost. Upon sale or other disposition of assets, the costs and related accumulated depreciation and amortization are removed from the accounts and the resulting gain or loss, if any, is reflected in “Other income or loss.”

The allowance for doubtful accounts is recorded to reflect the estimated realization of the Company’s accounts receivable and includes assessment of the probability of collection and the credit-worthiness of certain customers. Reserves for uncollectible accounts are recorded as part of “Selling and administrative expenses” on the Consolidated Statements of Operations. The Company reviews its accounts receivable aging and calculates an allowance through application of historic reserve factors to overdue receivables. This calculation is supplemented by specific account reviews performed by the Company’s credit department. As necessary, the application of the Company’s allowance rates to specific customers is reviewed and adjusted to more accurately reflect the credit risk inherent within that customer relationship.

Goodwill is the cost of an acquisition less the fair value of the identifiable net assets of the acquired business. Goodwill is tested annually for impairment or more often if there are indicators of impairment within a reporting unit. A reporting unit is an operating segment or a component of an operating segment for which discrete financial information is available and reviewed by management on a regular basis. The goodwill impairment test involves comparing the fair value of a reporting unit to its carrying value, including goodwill. If the carrying amount of the reporting unit exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss equal to the excess amount up to the goodwill balance is recorded as a component of operations. The Company performs its annual impairment tests in the fourth quarter.

The Company's fourth quarter 2018 annual test included the assessment of qualitative factors to determine whether it was more likely than not that the fair value of each reporting unit is less than its carrying value. The qualitative assessment encompassed a review of events and circumstances specific to each reporting unit with goodwill, as well as specific to the entity as a whole. The Company's qualitative assessment considered, among other things, factors such as macroeconomic conditions, industry and market considerations, including changes in the Company's stock price and market multiples, projected financial performance, cost factors, changes in carrying values, and other relevant factors. Considering the totality of the qualitative factors assessed, based on the weight of evidence, no circumstances existed that would indicate it was more likely than not that goodwill was impaired. There was no goodwill impairment recognized during 2018 or 2017. The Company continues to monitor the recoverability of the long-lived assets associated with certain reporting units of the Company and the long-term financial projections of the businesses. Sustained declines in the markets we serve may result in future long-lived asset impairment.

The Company has no indefinite-lived intangible assets. The Company reviews a long-lived intangible asset for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the asset may not be recoverable. All intangible assets are amortized over their estimated useful lives. There were no definite-lived intangible asset impairments during the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017.

Environmental remediation costs are accrued when the liability is probable and costs are estimable. Environmental compliance costs, which principally include the disposal of waste generated by routine operations, are expensed as incurred. Capitalized environmental costs, when appropriate, are depreciated over their useful life. Reserves are not reduced by potential claims for recovery and are not discounted. Claims for recovery are recognized as agreements are reached with third parties or as amounts are received. Reserves are periodically reviewed throughout the year and adjusted to reflect current remediation progress, prospective estimates of required activity, and other factors that may be relevant, including changes in technology or regulations. See Note 19 for additional information regarding the Company’s outstanding environmental and litigation reserves.

On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted Accounting Standard Update No. (“ASU”) 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606),” and all the related amendments using the modified retrospective approach, which did not result in any changes to the previously reported financial information. The updates related to ASU 2014-09 were applied only to contracts that were not complete as of January 1, 2018. Deferred revenue consists of customer billings or payments received for which the revenue recognition criteria have not yet been met as well as contract liabilities (billings in excess of costs) on over time contracts. Advanced payments from customers typically relate to contracts with respect to which the Company has significantly fulfilled its obligations, but due to the Company’s continuing involvement with the project, revenue is precluded from being recognized until the performance obligation is met for the customer. See Note 3 for additional information.

The Company maintains a current warranty liability for the repair or replacement of defective products. For certain manufactured products, an accrual is made on a monthly basis as a percentage of cost of sales based upon historical experience. For long-lived construction products, a warranty is established when the claim is known and quantifiable. The product warranty accrual is periodically adjusted based on the identification or resolution of known individual product warranty claims or due to changes in the Company’s historical warranty experience. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017, the product warranty reserve was $2,057 and $8,682, respectively. See Note 19 for additional information regarding the product warranty.

Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred taxes are measured using enacted tax laws and rates expected to be in effect when such differences are recovered or settled. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred taxes is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date of the change.

The Company makes judgments regarding the recognition of deferred tax assets and the future realization of these assets. As prescribed by ASC 740, “Income Taxes” and applicable guidance, valuation allowances must be provided for those deferred tax assets for which it is more likely than not (a likelihood of more than 50%) that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The guidance requires the Company to evaluate positive and negative evidence regarding the recoverability of deferred tax assets. The determination of whether the positive evidence outweighs the negative evidence and quantification of the valuation allowance requires the Company to make estimates and judgments of future financial results. The Company has concluded that for purposes of quantifying valuation allowances, it would be appropriate to consider the reversal of taxable temporary differences related to indefinite-lived intangible assets when assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets that upon reversal, would give rise to operating losses that do not expire.

The Company evaluates all tax positions taken on its federal, state, and foreign tax filings to determine if the position is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination. For positions that meet the more likely than not to be sustained criteria, the largest amount of benefit to be realized upon ultimate settlement is determined on a cumulative probability basis. A previously recognized tax position is derecognized when it is subsequently determined that a tax position no longer meets the more likely than not threshold to be sustained. The evaluation of the sustainability of a tax position and the expected tax benefit is based on judgment, historical experience, and various other assumptions. Actual results could differ from those estimates upon subsequent resolution of identified matters. The Company accrues interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in its provision for income taxes.

The assets and liabilities of our foreign subsidiaries are measured using the local currency as the functional currency and are translated into U.S. dollars at exchange rates as of the balance sheet date. Income statement amounts are translated at the weighted-average rates of exchange during the year. The translation adjustment is accumulated as a separate component of “Accumulated other comprehensive loss” within our Consolidated Balance Sheets. Foreign currency transaction gains and losses are included in net income. For the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, foreign currency transaction gains of approximately $483 and losses of $804, respectively, were included in net (loss) income.

The Company expenses research and development costs as costs are incurred. For the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, research and development expenses were $2,646 and $2,241, respectively, and were principally related to the Company’s friction management and railroad monitoring system products within the Rail Products and Services segment.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842)” (“ASU 2016-02”). The new accounting requirements include the accounting for, presentation of, and classification of leases. The guidance will result in most leases being capitalized as a right-of-use asset with a related liability on our balance sheets. The requirements of the new standard are effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those annual periods. The Company has a significant number of operating leases, and, as a result, expects assets and liabilities of approximately $13,000 to $16,000 to be recognized at adoption on our Consolidated Balance Sheet as right-of-use assets. This adoption is not expected to impact our results of operations or cash flows. The change will not affect the covenants of the Second Amendment to the Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated March 13, 2015. The Company will adopt the accounting standard using a prospective transition approach, which applies the provisions of the adoption as of the effective date without adjusting the comparative periods presented.

In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02, “Income Statement – Reporting Comprehensive Income” (“ASU 2018-02”), that will permit companies the option to reclassify stranded tax effects caused by the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”) from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings. Consequently, the amendments eliminate the stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Act and will improve the usefulness of information reported to financial statement users. However, because the amendments only relate to the reclassification of the income tax effects of the Tax Act, the underlying guidance that requires that the effect of a change in tax laws or rates be included in income from continuing operations is not affected. Adoption of the ASU will be optional and a company will need to disclose if it elects not to adopt the ASU. The ASU will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption will be permitted, including adoption in any interim period, for financial statements that have not yet been issued or made available for issuance. Entities will have the option to

The SEC Disclosure Update and Simplification release adopted certain amendments in August 2018. While most of the amendments eliminate outdated or duplicative disclosure requirements, the final rule amends the interim financial statement requirements to require a reconciliation of changes in stockholders’ equity in the notes to the financial statements or as a separate statement. This analysis should reconcile the beginning balance to the ending balance of each caption in stockholders’ equity for each period for which an income statement is required to be filed and comply with the remaining content requirements of Rule 3-04 of Regulation S-X. As a result, registrants will be required to provide the reconciliation for both the comparable quarterly and year-to-date periods in its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q but only for the year-to-date periods in registration statements, beginning in the first quarter of 2019.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15, "Intangibles - Goodwill and Other - Internal-Use Software" (“ASU 2018-15”). The ASU requires capitalization of certain implementation costs incurred in a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract. The amendments in the ASU are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and for interim periods therein with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the potential impact of the ASU on its consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, which supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in ASC 605, “Revenue Recognition” (“ASC 605”). ASU 2014-09 is based on the principle that revenue is recognized to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. It also requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue, cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments, and assets recognized from costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract. ASU 2014-09 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within that reporting period. The Company adopted the provisions of ASU 2014-09 on January 1, 2018, using the modified retrospective approach. Revenue from the Company's point in time product and service sales continue to be recognized when products are shipped or services are rendered. Revenue from the Company's product and service sales provided under long-term agreements is recognized as the Company transfers control of the product or renders service to its customers, which approximates the previously used percentage-of-completion method of accounting. The adoption of ASU 2014-09 had no material effect on the Company's financial position, results of operations, cash flows, or backlog, and no adjustment to January 1, 2018 opening retained earnings was needed. The Company has presented the disclosures required by ASC 606 in Note 3.

In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-16, “Income Taxes – Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory (Topic 740),” (“ASU 2016-16”) which requires an entity to recognize the income tax consequences of an intra-entity transfer of an asset, other than inventory, when the transfer occurs. The ASU was effective on January 1, 2018 and was adopted by the Company on that date, using the modified retrospective approach. Under this approach, the Company recorded a reduction to its January 1, 2018 opening retained earnings of $305 as a result of prior intra-entity transactions.

In March 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-05, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118,” which allowed SEC registrants to record provisional amounts in earnings for the year ended December 31, 2017 due to the complexities involved in accounting for the enactment of the Tax Act enacted on December 22, 2017. The Company recognized estimated income tax effects of the Tax Act in its 2017 Consolidated Financial Statements in accordance with SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118. As of December 31, 2018, we have completed our accounting for the tax effects of the Tax Act. Refer to Note 14 for further information regarding the income tax effects of the Tax Act recorded by the Company.

In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-07, “Compensation - Retirement Benefits (Topic 715)” (“ASU 2017-07”), which improves the presentation of net periodic pension cost and net periodic postretirement benefit cost. The guidance requires that the entity report the service cost component in the same line item or items as other compensation costs arising from services rendered by the pertinent employees during the period, and report the other components of net periodic pension cost and net periodic postretirement benefit cost in the income statement separately from the service cost component and not within income from operations. Of the components of net periodic benefit cost, only the service cost component will be eligible for asset capitalization. The new standard is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those annual periods. The adoption of ASU 2017-07 had no impact to the Company's financial statements.