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, 2003.

                                       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, 2003 and 2002
 with Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm






                              L. B. Foster Company
                            Voluntary Investment Plan

                              Financial Statements
                         and Other Financial Information


                     Years ended December 31, 2003 and 2002




                                    Contents

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm............   1

Audited 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


 1




             Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm


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, 2003 and
2002, and the related  statement of changes in net assets available for benefits
for the year  ended  December  31,  2003.  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.  An audit includes examining, on a
test basis,  evidence  supporting  the amounts and  disclosures in the financial
statements.  An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and
significant  estimates  made by  management,  as well as 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,  2003 and 2002,  and the changes in its net assets  available  for
benefits for the year ended December 31, 2003, 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,  2003 is  presented  for  purpose  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,  is fairly stated in all material respects in relation to the financial
statements taken as a whole.


                                                         /s/Ernst & Young LLP

June 13, 2004


  2


                              L. B. Foster Company
                            Voluntary Investment Plan


               Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits

                                                  December 31

                                             2003              2002
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Assets
Investments at fair value                    $31,655,890       $27,467,746
Participant loans                                541,339           530,648
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                              32,197,229        27,998,394

Receivables:
Employee                                          85,404            77,854
Employer                                         251,932            34,746
Other                                                 65                60
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 337,401           112,660
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net assets available for benefits            $32,534,630       $28,111,054
===========================================================================

See accompanying notes.

 3

                              L. B. Foster Company
                            Voluntary Investment Plan

            Statement of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits

                          Year ended December 31, 2003


Additions
Investment income:
Interest and dividends                                       $  581,399
Net realized/unrealized appreciation
 in investment fair value                                     4,591,129
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total investment income                                       5,172,528

Contributions:
Employee                                                      1,108,294
Employer                                                        666,235
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total contributions                                           1,774,529
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              6,947,057

Deductions
Benefit payments                                              2,523,481
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              2,523,481

Increase in net assets available for benefits                 4,423,576
Net assets available for benefits, beginning of year         28,111,054
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net assets available for benefits, end of year              $32,534,630
========================================================================

See accompanying notes.



 4
                              L. B. Foster Company
                            Voluntary Investment Plan

                          Notes to Financial Statements

                     Years ended December 31, 2003 and 2002


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 may elect to make pretax  contributions  ranging from 2% to 10% of
annual compensation subject to Internal Revenue Code limitations.  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 provided,  however,  that the sum of the pretax and voluntary
employee   contributions  does  not  exceed  15%  of  the  participant's  annual
compensation. Effective January 1, 2003, the limit on employee contributions was
increased  to  30%  subject  to  Internal  Revenue  Code  limitations,  and  the
limitation  on  aggregate  pretax  and  after-tax   contributions  was  removed.
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.
 5

1. Description of Plan (continued)

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 2002.

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.  A  discretionary  contribution of $213,000 was
approved for 2003.  No  discretionary  contribution  was approved for 2002.  The
Company's  contributions may be reduced by any forfeitures which accumulate from
terminations of participants with nonvested employer contributions.  Forfeitures
totaling  $27,900 and $79,100 were utilized to offset  contributions in 2003 and
2002,  respectively.  At December 31, 2003 and 2002,  forfeitures  of $6,200 and
$25,600, 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 his vested
interest in the  portion of his  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 occurring after the effective date will be 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.  The
conversion  grants   participants  the  added  flexibility  of  executing  daily
transactions  to  increase or  decrease  participation  in the fund that was not
present under the prior fund structure.

For the  year  ended  December  31,  2003,  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                         $    5,906,948            $1,150,176
    Equity Income Fund                         2,644,991               558,514
    Growth and Income Fund                     3,868,823               583,922
    Government Income Fund                     2,183,722               (61,479)
    Blue Chip Fund                                56,073                 2,469
    Asset Manager Fund                           995,550               121,219
    Low Price Stock Fund                       1,105,633               257,431
    Small Cap Stock Fund                         207,655                91,935
    Freedom Income Fund                           22,601                   937
    Freedom 2000                                 274,487                10,154
    Freedom 2010                                 431,378                28,354
    Freedom 2020                                 500,124                67,222
    Freedom 2030                                  90,437                15,831
    Freedom 2040                                  32,219                 5,062
    Managed Income Fund                        2,439,606                     -
    Retirement Government
      Money Market Fund                        3,476,427                     -
    Spartan U.S. Equity Index Fund             2,375,468               487,367
  Janus Worldwide Fund                         1,702,147               462,534
  Credit Suisse Emerging Growth Fund             845,279               212,644
  PIMCO Total Return Fund                        368,920                 1,098
  MSI International Equity Fund                  493,920                39,593
  L. B. Foster Company Stock Fund              1,633,482               556,146
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          $   31,655,890            $4,591,129
                                          ======================================
 9

3. Investments (continued)

The fair value of  investments  representing  5% or more of the Plan's assets at
December 31, 2003 and 2002 is as follows:

                                                  2003                 2002
                                         -----------------    ------------------

 Fidelity Investments:
    Magellan Fund                        $    5,906,948       $   5,153,645
    Equity Income Fund                        2,644,991           2,436,427
    Growth and Income Fund                    3,868,823           3,666,594
    Government Income Fund                    2,183,722           2,483,982
    Retirement Government
      Money Market Fund                       3,476,427           3,572,069
    Managed Income Fund                       2,439,606           1,659,982
    Spartan U.S. Equity Index Fund            2,375,468           1,763,652
 Janus Worldwide Fund                         1,702,147           2,354,417
 L. B. Foster Company Stock Fund              1,633,482           1,197,518

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 administrator  believes the
Plan is being  operated in compliance  with the applicable  requirements  of the
Code and,  therefore,  believes that the Plan is qualified and the related trust
is tax-exempt.

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 Number: 201



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

                                December 31, 2003


         Identity of Issue, Borrower,                                              Shares      Fair Market
           Lessor, or Similar Party                Description of Investment        Held          Value
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fidelity Investments*:
                                                                                            
  Magellan Fund                                   Equities                              60,435    $   5,906,948
  Equity Income Fund                              Equities                              53,166        2,644,991
  Growth and Income Fund                          Equities                             108,583        3,868,823
  Government Income Fund                          Government obligations               213,671        2,183,722
  Blue Chip Fund                                  Equities                               1,415           56,073
  Asset Manager Fund                              Equities, money market, bonds         63,169          995,550
  Low Price Stock Fund                            Equities                              31,608        1,105,633
  Small Cap Stock Fund                            Equities                              12,144          207,655
  Freedom Income Fund                             Equity funds, fixed income funds       2,038           22,601
  Freedom 2000                                    Equity funds, fixed income funds      23,302          274,487
  Freedom 2010                                    Equity funds, fixed income funds      33,132          431,378
  Freedom 2020                                    Equity funds, fixed income funds      38,412          500,124
  Freedom 2030                                    Equity funds, fixed income funds       6,984           90,437
  Freedom 2040                                    Equity funds, fixed income funds       4,262           32,219
  Managed Income Fund                             Guaranteed investment contracts    2,439,606        2,439,606
  Retirement Government Money Market Fund         Government obligations, money
                                                  market securities                  3,476,427        3,476,427
  Spartan U.S. Equity Index Fund                  Equities                              60,276        2,375,468
Janus Worldwide Fund                              Equities                              43,049        1,702,147
Credit Suisse Emerging Growth Fund                Equities                              30,850          845,279
PIMCO Total Return Fund                           Fixed income securities               34,446          368,920
MSI International Equity Fund                     Equities                              26,064          493,920
                                                                                               -----------------
Total mutual funds                                                                                   30,022,408

L. B. Foster Company Stock Fund                   Interest-bearing cash                 76,543           76,543
                                                  Common stock                         239,529        1,556,939
                                                                                               -----------------
                                                                                                      1,633,482

Outstanding participant loans                     Participant loans, interest rates
                                                  ranging from 4.75% to 10.5%,
                                                  various maturities ranging
                                                  from 2 to 30 years                                    541,339
                                                                                               -----------------
                                                                                                  $  32,197,229
                                                                                               =================

*Party-in-interest




                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the members
of the Administrative  Committee of the Plan have duly caused this Annual Report
to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

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


Date: June 28, 2004                     By: /s/David J. Russo
                                        ----------------------------------
                                            David J. Russo
                                            Senior Vice President,
                                            Chief Financial Officer and
                                            Treasurer


                               INDEX TO EXHIBITS

EXHIBIT NUMBER                               DESCRIPTION
===============================================================================
23.1                   Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm