Business Segments (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Business Segments [Abstract]

Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment [Table Text Block]

		2013
										Expenditures
		Net		Segment		Segment		Depreciation/		for Long-Lived
		Sales		Profit		Assets		Amortization		Assets
Rail Products	$	363,667	$	28,692	$	252,049	$	6,505	$	3,383
Construction Products		191,751		10,206		77,900		1,758		1,805
Tubular Products		42,545		9,208		37,107		1,054		2,460
Total	$	597,963	$	48,106	$	367,056	$	9,317	$	7,648

		2012
										Expenditures
		Net		Segment		Segment		Depreciation/		for Long-Lived
		Sales		Profit		Assets		Amortization		Assets
Rail Products	$	370,322	$	9,074	$	243,072	$	9,736	$	4,180
Construction Products		169,253		7,859		73,804		2,119		474
Tubular Products		48,966		12,854		13,573		599		1,350
Total	$	588,541	$	29,787	$	330,449	$	12,454	$	6,004

		2011
										Expenditures
		Net		Segment		Segment		Depreciation/		for Long-Lived
		Sales		Profit		Assets		Amortization		Assets
Rail Products	$	315,133	$	18,724	$	219,917	$	8,908	$	5,894
Construction Products		227,734		16,323		88,615		2,180		1,049
Tubular Products		32,470		6,810		11,758		453		3,995
Total	$	575,337	$	41,857	$	320,290	$	11,541	$	10,938

Reconciliation of Operating Profit (Loss) from Segments to Consolidated [Table Text Block]

2013 2012 2011

Income from Continuing Operations:
Total for reportable segments	$	48,106	$	29,787	$	41,857
Adjustment of inventory to LIFO		37		1,118		(2,183)
Unallocated interest income		659		452		321
Unallocated equity in income of nonconsolidated investments		1,316		837		707
Unallocated corporate amounts		(6,003)		(8,364)		(8,050)
Income from continuing operations, before income taxes	$	44,115	$	23,830	$	32,652

Reconciliation of Assets from Segment to Consolidated [Table Text Block]

Assets:
Total for reportable segments	$	367,056	$	330,449	$	320,290
Unallocated corporate assets		55,625		84,737		69,787
LIFO		(9,027)		(9,064)		(10,183)
Total assets	$	413,654	$	406,122	$	379,894

Reconciliation of Other Significant Reconciling Items from Segments to Consolidated [Table Text Block]

		2013		2012		2011
Depreciation/Amortization:
Total for reportable segments	$	9,317	$	12,454	$	11,541
Other		685		519		466
Total	$	10,002	$	12,973	$	12,007

Expenditures for Long-Lived Assets:
Total for reportable segments	$	7,648	$	6,004	$	10,938
Other expenditures		2,026		1,156		795
Total	$	9,674	$	7,160	$	11,733

Schedule of Revenue from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets, by Geographical Areas [Table Text Block]

The following table summarizes the Company’s sales from continuing operations by major geographic region in which the Company has operations:

		2013		2012		2011
United States	$	495,710	$	485,111	$	483,889
Canada		37,290		40,892		41,252
United Kingdom		16,548		18,698		14,728
Other		48,415		43,840		35,468
	$	597,963	$	588,541	$	575,337

The following table summarizes the Company’s long-lived assets from continuing operations by geographic region:

		2013		2012		2011
United States	$	40,717	$	31,961	$	35,918
Canada		8,833		9,773		9,374
United Kingdom		559		599		545
	$	50,109	$	42,333	$	45,837

Schedule of Revenues by Major Product Line [Table Text Block]

The following table summarizes the Company’s sales by major product line from continuing operations:

		2013		2012		2011
Rail distribution products	$	144,911	$	155,832	$	115,777
Piling products		140,302		114,070		162,641
Rail Technologies products		88,670		92,826		97,775
CXT concrete tie products		44,108		58,182		48,968
Transit products		41,947		22,215		17,256
CXT concrete building products		32,969		30,195		35,557
Other products		105,056		115,221		97,363
	$	597,963	$	588,541	$	575,337