UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 11-K

             FOR ANNUAL REPORTS OF EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASES, SAVINGS
               AND SIMILAR PLANS PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


(Mark One)

[X] ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT 
OF 1934.

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2004.

                                       OR

[  ] TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE 
ACT OF 1934.

For the transition period from ___________to_____________

Commission file number  0-10436.


                 L. B. Foster Company Voluntary Investment Plan
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                (Full title of the plan and the address of plan,
               if different from that of the issuer named below)


                         L. B. FOSTER COMPANY
                         415 Holiday Drive
                         Pittsburgh, PA 15222
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (Name of issuer of the securities held pursuant to the plan and the address
                       of its principal executive office)







 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND OTHER FINANCIAL
 INFORMATION

 L. B. Foster Company Voluntary Investment Plan 
 Years Ended December 31, 2004 and 2003
 With Report of Independent Auditors





                              L. B. Foster Company
                            Voluntary Investment Plan

                              Financial Statements
                         and Other Financial Information

                     Years Ended December 31, 2004 and 2003




                                    Contents

Report of Independent Auditors........................................1

Financial Statements

Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits.......................2
Statement of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits.............3
Notes to Financial Statements.........................................4

Other Financial Information

Schedule H, Line 4i - Schedule of Assets (Held at End of Year).......10

Exhibit Index........................................................11

Signature............................................................12

  1

             Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

The Plan Administrator
L. B. Foster Company
Voluntary Investment Plan

We have audited the accompanying statements of net assets available for benefits
of L. B. Foster Company  Voluntary  Investment  Plan as of December 31, 2004 and
2003, and the related  statement of changes in net assets available for benefits
for the year  ended  December  31,  2004.  These  financial  statements  are the
responsibility  of the Plan's  management.  Our  responsibility is to express an
opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance  with the standards of the Public  Company
Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan
and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial
statements are free of material misstatement.  We were not engaged to perform an
audit of the  Plan's  internal  control  over  financial  reporting.  Our audits
included  consideration of internal control over financial  reporting as a basis
for designing audit  procedures that are appropriate in the  circumstances,  but
not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the  effectiveness of the Plan's
internal  control  over  financial  reporting.  Accordingly,  we express no such
opinion. An audit also includes examining,  on a test basis, evidence supporting
the  amounts  and  disclosures  in  the  financial  statements,   assessing  the
accounting  principles  used and significant  estimates made by management,  and
evaluating the overall  financial  statement  presentation.  We believe that our
audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion,  the financial  statements  referred to above present fairly, in
all  material  respects,  the net assets  available  for benefits of the Plan at
December  31,  2004 and 2003,  and the changes in its net assets  available  for
benefits for the year ended December 31, 2004, in conformity with U.S. generally
accepted accounting principles.

Our audits were performed for the purpose of forming an opinion on the financial
statements taken as a whole. The  accompanying  supplemental  schedule of assets
(held at end of year) as of December  31,  2004,  is  presented  for purposes of
additional  analysis and is not a required part of the financial  statements but
is  supplementary  information  required by the  Department of Labor's Rules and
Regulations for Reporting and Disclosure  under the Employee  Retirement  Income
Security Act of 1974. This  supplemental  schedule is the  responsibility of the
Plan's management.  The supplemental schedule has been subjected to the auditing
procedures  applied  in our  audits  of the  financial  statements  and,  in our
opinion, are fairly stated in all material respects in relation to the financial
statements taken as a whole.


                                                        /s/ Ernst & Young LLP

June 13, 2005

  2


                              L. B. Foster Company
                            Voluntary Investment Plan

                 Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits


                                                         December 31
                                                    2004              2003
                                            -----------------------------------
Assets
Investments, at fair value                      $33,594,419       $31,655,890
Participant loans                                   518,121           541,339
                                            -----------------------------------
                                                 34,112,540        32,197,229
Receivables:
Employee                                             83,243            85,404
Employer                                            192,350           251,932
Other                                                   162                65
                                            -----------------------------------
                                                    275,755           337,401
                                            -----------------------------------
Net assets available for benefits               $34,388,295       $32,534,630
                                            ===================================

See accompanying notes.

  3

                              L. B. Foster Company
                            Voluntary Investment Plan

            Statement of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits

                          Year Ended December 31, 2004


Additions
Investment income:
  Interest and dividends                                           $ 1,020,150
  Net realized/unrealized appreciation in investment fair value      2,443,047
                                                                   -----------
Total investment income                                              3,463,197

Contributions:
  Employee                                                           1,368,857
  Employer                                                             667,363
                                                                   -----------
Total contributions                                                  2,036,220
                                                                   -----------
                                                                     5,499,417
Deductions
Benefit payments                                                     3,645,752
                                                                   -----------
                                                                     3,645,752
                                                                   -----------

Increase in net assets available for benefits                        1,853,665
Net assets available for benefits, beginning of year                32,534,630
                                                                   -----------
Net assets available for benefits, end of year                     $34,388,295
                                                                   ===========

See accompanying notes.

  4

                              L. B. Foster Company
                            Voluntary Investment Plan

                          Notes to Financial Statements

                           December 31, 2004 and 2003


1. Description of Plan
----------------------

The following brief description of the L. B. Foster Company Voluntary Investment
Plan (the Plan) as amended  effective  January 1, 1999,  is provided for general
information  purposes  only.  Participants  should  refer  to the  summary  plan
description for more complete information.

General
-------

The Plan is a  defined  contribution  plan  extended  to all  eligible  salaried
employees of L. B. Foster Company (the Company) who have attained age 18. The L.
B. Foster Company Employee  Benefits Policy and Review  Committee,  appointed by
the  Board  of  Directors  of the  Company,  collectively  serves  as  the  plan
administrator.  The Plan is subject to the provisions of the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) as amended.

Contributions
-------------

Contributions  under the Plan are made by both the participants and the Company.
A participant  who elects to make pretax  contributions  of at least the maximum
amount subject to company  matching can also elect to make additional  voluntary
contributions on an after-tax basis. Employees may contribute up to 30% of their
annual  compensation  subject to Internal Revenue Code limitations.  There is no
limit on aggregate pretax and after-tax contributions. Participant contributions
and employer matching  contributions are invested in accordance with participant
elections. In the event that a participant does not make an investment election,
contributions  are invested in the Fidelity  Freedom funds until such time as an
election is made by the participant.  The participant may transfer contributions
defaulted  to these  funds into other  investment  options at the  participant's
discretion.

Beginning the first of the month following 12 months of employment,  the Company
provides a 50% match of the participant's  primary  contribution on the first 4%
to 6% of annual compensation, based on years of service, as defined by the Plan.
Beginning the first of the month following 12 months of employment,  the Company
contributes  a  fixed  amount  equal  to  1%  of  eligible   employees'   annual
compensation  regardless  of whether the employee  elects to  contribute  to the
Plan. Company contributions may be reduced by forfeitures that accumulate.

The Plan also requires an additional  matching  employer  contribution  of up to
$.50 for each $1.00 of eligible pretax  contributions based on a target ratio of
the  Company's  annual  pretax  income  to  equity as  defined  in the Plan.  No
additional matching employer contributions were made in 2004 and 2003.
  5

1. Description of Plan (continued)
----------------------------------

The Company, upon resolution of the Board of Directors, may make a discretionary
additional contribution of an amount out of, but not in excess of, the Company's
current or  accumulated  profits.  Discretionary  contributions  of $154,000 and
$213,000  were  approved  for  2004  and  2003,   respectively.   The  Company's
contributions   may  be  reduced  by  any  forfeitures   which  accumulate  from
terminations of participants with nonvested employer contributions.  Forfeitures
totaling  $3,200 and $27,900 were utilized to offset  contributions  in 2004 and
2003,  respectively.  At December 31, 2004 and 2003,  forfeitures  of $9,300 and
$6,200, respectively, were available to reduce future company contributions.

Vesting
-------

A  participant's  vested interest in the Plan on any date is equal to the sum of
the values of (a) that portion of the participant's  account attributable to the
participant's  contributions and (b) that portion of the  participant's  account
attributable to the Company's contributions multiplied by the applicable vesting
percentage plus or minus related earnings (losses). Participants that are active
as of January 1, 2002, or later are 100% vested in the  Company's  contributions
after three years of eligible  service or after  attaining age 65.  Participants
that are inactive as of or terminated  prior to January 1, 2002, are 100% vested
in the  Company's  contributions  after five years of eligible  service or after
attaining age 65.

Notwithstanding  the above, a participant who terminates from the Plan by reason
of retirement, disability, or death is fully vested in his participant account.

Distributions
-------------

Normal  retirement  age is 65. Early  retirement  age is 55,  provided  that the
participant has at least five years of service.  In addition,  a participant may
obtain an early retirement  distribution prior to reaching age 55, provided that
the participant  will turn 55 in the year the  distribution  occurs and that the
participant has at least five years of service.

As provided by the Plan, the  distribution to which a participant is entitled by
reason of normal, early, late, or disability  retirement,  death, or termination
of  employment  may be made in the form of direct  rollover,  annuity,  cash, or
partly in cash and  partly as an  annuity.  The amount of such  distribution  is
equal to the participant's vested account balance on the valuation date.

  6

1. Description of Plan (continued)
----------------------------------

Withdrawals
-----------

Under  the  Plan,  a  participant  may elect to  withdraw  voluntary,  after-tax
contributions  made to the Plan prior to January 1, 1987.  Such  withdrawals are
subject to a $1,000  minimum.  In the event of extreme  hardship  and subject to
certain  restrictions and  limitations,  a participant may withdraw their vested
interest in the portion of their  account  attributable  to matching,  fixed and
discretionary contributions, and related earnings.

Participants' Accounts
----------------------

Each  participant's  account  is  credited  with the  participant's  pretax  and
voluntary   contributions,   the   participant's   allocable  share  of  company
contributions,  and related earnings of the funds. Participants' accounts may be
invested in 10% increments into any of the mutual funds available under the Plan
at the direction of the participant.

Loans
-----

A  participant  may  obtain a loan from the  vested  portion  of their  account,
subject to spousal  consent,  if  applicable.  The loan  proceeds  (subject to a
minimum of $1,000 and a maximum of $50,000) are deducted from the  participant's
account and are repaid by means of payroll deductions.  Loans are required to be
repaid  within 60 months from the date on which the loan is  originally  granted
and may be prepaid early without  penalty.  The repayment period for a loan that
is obtained for purchasing a primary residence may be as long as 360 months. The
loan carries an interest rate computed at the prime rate plus 0.5%. The interest
rate is computed  on the date the loan is  requested  and remains  fixed for the
full term of the loan.

Plan Termination
----------------

Although it has not  expressed any intention to do so, the Company has the right
under the Plan to discontinue its contributions at any time and to terminate the
Plan  subject  to the  provisions  of  ERISA.  Should  the  Plan be  terminated,
participants  will become fully vested in their accounts,  and the assets of the
Plan would be distributed to the participants  based on their individual account
balances as determined under the plan provisions.

  7

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
---------------------------------------------

Valuation of Investments
------------------------

Mutual fund values are based on the underlying investments in securities. Mutual
fund  securities  traded on security  exchanges  are valued at the latest quoted
sales price.  Securities traded on a national  securities exchange are valued at
the  last  reported  sales  price  on the last  business  day of the plan  year.
Securities traded in the over-the-counter market and listed securities for which
no sale was  reported  on that fixed rate date are valued at the  average of the
last reported bid and ask quotations.  Loans  receivable from  participants  are
valued at cost which approximates fair value.

Realized  gain or loss  includes  recognized  gains  and  losses  on the sale of
investments. Unrealized appreciation or depreciation represents changes in value
from original  cost.  Dividend  income is recorded on the  ex-dividend  date and
interest income is accrued as earned.

As  described  above,  the assets of the Plan are  concentrated  in mutual funds
consisting  primarily of stocks and bonds.  Realization of amounts  disclosed as
net assets available for benefits is dependent on the results of these markets.

Basis of Accounting
-------------------

The  financial  statements  of the Plan are  maintained  on the  accrual  basis.
Contributions  receivable  are recorded among the available  investment  options
based upon the participants'  aggregate investment  allocations in effect at the
end of the plan year.

Use of Estimates
----------------

The  preparation  of financial  statements  in  accordance  with U.S.  generally
accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates that affect
the amounts reported in the financial  statements and accompanying notes. Actual
results could differ from those estimates.

Expenses
--------

The  Company,  as provided  by the Plan,  pays  expenses  of the Plan.  Expenses
incurred  to  establish  and  maintain  a loan  are  charged  to the  applicable
participant.

  8

3. Investments
--------------

Profit  sharing  contributions  are directed into the L. B. Foster Company Stock
Fund.  Participants may subsequently  transfer profit sharing contributions into
other plan funds at their  discretion.  The L. B. Foster Company Stock Fund is a
unitized stock fund comprised of a 95% to 99% investment in L. B. Foster Company
common stock with the  remaining  1% to 5% invested in a  short-term  investment
fund. As a result,  participant  accounts  receive units of participation in the
fund rather than common shares.

For the  year  ended  December  31,  2004,  the  Plan's  investments  (including
investments bought, sold, and held during the year) appreciated (depreciated) in
value as follows:

                                                                 Net Realized/
                                                    Fair          Unrealized
                                                   Market        Appreciation
                                                    Value       (Depreciation)
                                             -----------------------------------
Fidelity investments:
   Magellan Fund                               $    4,829,391    $   270,912
   Equity Income Fund                               3,290,364        174,626
   Growth and Income Fund                           3,632,852        255,585
   Government Income Fund                           2,068,563          3,122
   Blue Chip Fund                                     189,240          8,883
   Asset Manager Fund                                 987,022         27,920
   Low Price Stock Fund                             2,384,917        284,719
   Small Cap Stock Fund                               735,594         36,237
   Freedom Income Fund                                 40,175            569
   Freedom 2000                                       430,133          8,792
   Freedom 2010                                       635,099         25,975
   Freedom 2020                                       689,829         42,348
   Freedom 2030                                       178,018         13,312
   Freedom 2040                                       105,388          5,750
   Managed Income Fund                              2,015,495              -
   Retirement Government Money Market Fund          2,452,121              -
   Spartan U.S. Equity Index Fund                   3,000,252        252,145
 Janus Worldwide Fund                                       -         39,255
 Credit Suisse Emerging Growth Fund                   779,831        106,465
 PIMCO Total Return Fund                              372,446         (1,211)
 MSI International Equity Fund                      2,537,223        170,452
 L. B. Foster Company Stock Fund                    2,240,466        717,191
                                             -----------------------------------
                                               $   33,594,419    $ 2,443,047
                                             ===================================

  9

3. Investments (continued)
--------------------------

The fair value of  investments  representing  5% or more of the Plan's assets at
December 31, 2004 and 2003, is as follows:

                                                  2004                2003
                                             ---------------     --------------
                                          
Fidelity investments:
 Magellan Fund                               $  4,829,391         $  5,906,948
 Equity Income Fund                             3,290,364            2,644,991
 Growth and Income Fund                         3,632,852            3,868,823
 Government Income Fund                         2,068,563            2,183,722
 Low Price Stock Fund                           2,384,917            1,105,633
 Retirement Government Money Market Fund        2,452,121            3,476,427
 Managed Income Fund                            2,015,495            2,439,606
 Spartan U.S. Equity Index Fund                 3,000,252            2,375,468
MSI International Equity Fund                   2,537,223              493,920
Janus Worldwide Fund                                    -            1,702,147
L. B. Foster Company Stock Fund                 2,240,466            1,633,482

4. Income Tax Status
--------------------

The Plan has received a determination  letter from the Internal  Revenue Service
(IRS) dated July 30,  2002,  stating that the Plan is  qualified  under  Section
401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code (the Code) and, therefore, the related trust
is exempt  from  taxation.  Once  qualified,  the Plan is required to operate in
conformity  with the Code to maintain  its  qualification.  The Plan was amended
subsequent to the IRS determination  letter. The plan sponsor has indicated that
it will take the necessary  steps,  if any, to bring the Plan's  operations into
compliance with the Code.

5. Transactions With Parties in Interest
----------------------------------------

Certain  trustee,  accounting,  and  administrative  expenses  relating  to  the
maintenance of participant records and the Plan's administration are absorbed by
the Company.



                           Other Financial Information

 10


                              L. B. Foster Company
                            Voluntary Investment Plan

                          EIN #25-1324733     Plan #201
                                       
                    Schedule H, Line 4i - Schedule of Assets
                              (Held at End of Year)

                                December 31, 2004

   Identity of Issue, Borrower,                                                       Shares        Fair Market
     Lessor, or Similar Party                       Description of Investment          Held            Value
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fidelity Investments*:
                                                                                                     
  Magellan Fund                                   Equities                              46,530      $   4,829,391
  Equity Income Fund                              Equities                              62,341          3,290,364
  Growth and Income Fund                          Equities                              95,076          3,632,852
  Government Income Fund                          Government obligations               202,008          2,068,563
  Blue Chip Fund                                  Equities                               4,537            189,240
  Asset Manager Fund                              Equities, money market, bonds         60,890            987,022
  Low Price Stock Fund                            Equities                              59,253          2,384,917
  Small Cap Stock Fund                            Equities                              40,506            735,594
  Freedom Income Fund                             Equity funds, fixed income funds       3,565             40,175
  Freedom 2000                                    Equity funds, fixed income funds      35,607            430,133
  Freedom 2010                                    Equity funds, fixed income funds      46,630            635,099
  Freedom 2020                                    Equity funds, fixed income funds      49,415            689,829
  Freedom 2030                                    Equity funds, fixed income funds      12,643            178,018
  Freedom 2040                                    Equity funds, fixed income funds      12,743            105,388
  Managed Income Fund                             Guaranteed investment contracts    2,015,495          2,015,495
  Retirement Government Money Market Fund         Government obligations, money      2,452,121          2,452,121
                                                    market securities
  Spartan U.S. Equity Index Fund                  Equities                              70,001          3,000,252
Credit Suisse Emerging Growth Fund                Equities                              25,059            779,831
PIMCO Total Return Fund                           Fixed income securities               34,906            372,446
MSI International Equity Fund                     Equities                             121,689          2,537,223
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total mutual funds                                                                                     31,353,953

L. B. Foster Company Stock Fund                   Interest-bearing cash                111,443           111,443
                                                  Common stock                         223,872         2,129,023
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                       2,240,466
Outstanding participant loans                     Participant loans, interest rates
                                                  ranging from 4.5% to 10.50%,
                                                  various maturities ranging
                                                  from 2 to 30 years                                     518,121
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                   $  34,112,540
===================================================================================================================


*Party in interest


 11
                                 EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit 23.1    Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 12

                                   SIGNATURE

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
trustees (or other persons who administer  the employee  benefit plan) have duly
caused  this  annual  report  to be signed  on their  behalf by the  undersigned
hereunto duly authorized.


                                               L. B. Foster Company
                                               Voluntary Investment Plan
                                           ----------------------------------
                                                   (Name of Plan)


Date: June 24, 2005                        By:  /s/David J. Russo
                                           ----------------------------------
                                               David J. Russo
                                               Senior Vice President,
                                               Chief Financial Officer and
                                               Treasurer