Grants from Outside Parties	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
GRANTS FROM OUTSIDE PARTIES: [Abstract]
Grants from Outside Parties	GRANTS FROM OUTSIDE PARTIES: The Company periodically receives grants for the upgrade and construction of rail lines and upgrades of locomotives from federal, provincial, state and local agencies and other outside parties (e.g., customers) in the United States and Australia and provinces in Canada in which the Company operates. These grants typically reimburse the Company for 50% to 100% of the actual cost of specific projects. In total, the Company received grant proceeds of $22.6 million, $40.8 million and $24.6 million in the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively, from such grant programs. None of the Company’s grants represent a future liability of the Company unless the Company abandons the rehabilitated or new track structure within a specified period of time or fails to maintain the upgraded or new track to certain standards and to make certain minimum capital improvements, as defined in the respective agreements. As the Company intends to comply with these agreements, the Company has recorded additions to road property and has deferred the amount of the grants. The amortization of deferred grants is a non-cash offset to depreciation expense over the useful lives of the related assets. During the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, the Company recorded offsets to depreciation expense from grant amortization of $7.9 million, $10.6 million and $4.3 million, respectively.

GRANTS FROM OUTSIDE PARTIES:

The Company periodically receives grants for the upgrade and construction of rail lines and upgrades of locomotives from federal, provincial, state and local agencies and other outside parties (e.g., customers) in the United States and Australia and provinces in Canada in which the Company operates. These grants typically reimburse the Company for 50% to 100% of the actual cost of specific projects. In total, the Company received grant proceeds of $22.6 million, $40.8 million and $24.6 million in the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively, from such grant programs.

None of the Company’s grants represent a future liability of the Company unless the Company abandons the rehabilitated or new track structure within a specified period of time or fails to maintain the upgraded or new track to certain standards and to make certain minimum capital improvements, as defined in the respective agreements. As the Company intends to comply with these agreements, the Company has recorded additions to road property and has deferred the amount of the grants. The amortization of deferred grants is a non-cash offset to depreciation expense over the useful lives of the related assets. During the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, the Company recorded offsets to depreciation expense from grant amortization of $7.9 million, $10.6 million and $4.3 million, respectively.