Business Segments (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Business Segments [Abstract]

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

		2016
										Expenditures
		Net		Segment		Segment		Depreciation/		for Long-Lived
		Sales		Profit (Loss) *		Assets		Amortization		Assets
Rail Products and Services	$	239,127	$	(26,228)	$	174,049	$	7,276	$	856
Construction Products		145,602		8,189		81,074		2,256		687
Tubular and Energy Services		98,785		(116,126)		100,006		12,644		3,810
Total	$	483,514	$	(134,165)	$	355,129	$	22,176	$	5,353

		2015
										Expenditures
		Net		Segment		Segment		Depreciation/		for Long-Lived
		Sales		Profit (Loss) **		Assets		Amortization		Assets
Rail Products and Services	$	328,982	$	27,037	$	241,222	$	8,098	$	4,273
Construction Products		176,394		12,958		86,335		2,720		1,260
Tubular and Energy Services		119,147		(81,344)		216,715		14,857		4,303
Total	$	624,523	$	(41,349)	$	544,272	$	25,675	$	9,836

		2014
										Expenditures
		Net		Segment		Segment		Depreciation/		for Long-Lived
		Sales		Profit		Assets		Amortization		Assets
Rail Products and Services	$	374,615	$	30,093	$	239,951	$	6,153	$	5,115
Construction Products		178,847		13,106		102,978		2,232		3,343
Tubular and Energy Services		53,730		5,350		130,289		3,208		6,988
Total	$	607,192	$	48,549	$	473,218	$	11,593	$	15,446

*	-  Segment loss includes impairment of goodwill, definite-lived intangible assets and property, plant and equipment as further described in Note 4 Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets and Note 7 Property, Plant and Equipment.
**	-  Segment loss includes impairment of goodwill as further described in Note 4 Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets.

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

(Loss) income from Operations:
Total for reportable segments	$	(134,165)	$	(41,349)	$	48,549
Adjustment of inventory to LIFO		2,643		2,468		738
Unallocated interest income		87		206		530
Unallocated equity in (loss) income of nonconsolidated investments		(1,290)		(413)		1,282
Unallocated corporate amounts		(14,444)		(11,489)		(12,039)
(Loss) income from operations, before income taxes	$	(147,169)	$	(50,577)	$	39,060

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

Assets:
Total for reportable segments	$	355,129	$	544,272	$	473,218
Unallocated corporate assets		41,072		28,209		26,788
LIFO		(3,178)		(5,821)		(8,289)
Total assets	$	393,023	$	566,660	$	491,717

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

Depreciation/Amortization:
Total for reportable segments	$	22,176	$	25,675	$	11,593
Other		1,316		999		984
Total	$	23,492	$	26,674	$	12,577

Expenditures for Long-Lived Assets:
Total for reportable segments	$	5,353	$	9,836	$	15,446
Expenditures funded through financing agreements		-		288		1,981
Other expenditures		2,311		5,077		1,610
Total	$	7,664	$	15,201	$	19,037

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

The following table summarizes the Company’s sales by major geographic region in which the Company has operations for the years ended December 31:

		2016		2015		2014
United States	$	390,930	$	522,404	$	498,025
United Kingdom		37,188		26,817		22,625
Canada		30,644		40,545		39,375
Other		24,752		34,757		47,167
	$	483,514	$	624,523	$	607,192

The following table summarizes the Company’s long-lived assets by geographic region at December 31:

		2016		2015		2014
United States	$	96,650	$	118,053	$	66,905
Canada		5,445		6,186		7,440
Other		1,878		2,506		457
	$	103,973	$	126,745	$	74,802

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

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

		2016		2015		2014
Rail Technologies products	$	90,469	$	98,237	$	109,053
Rail distribution products		83,236		126,277		139,529
Piling products		70,535		94,853		111,182
Concrete products		54,514		52,044		36,396
Precision measurement systems		42,830		36,048		-
Allegheny Rail Products		24,102		35,155		45,008
Upstream test and inspection services		20,765		35,906		-
CXT concrete tie products		16,288		35,740		52,562
Other products		80,775		110,263		113,462
	$	483,514	$	624,523	$	607,192