Subsequent Events (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	1 Months Ended						1 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Oct. 31, 2012 Refinancing of Debt [Member]	Oct. 02, 2012 RailAmerica [Member]	Oct. 02, 2012 RailAmerica [Member] Refinancing of Debt [Member]	Jul. 17, 2012 The Carlyle Group [Member] Series A-1 Preferred Stock [Member] RailAmerica [Member]	Oct. 02, 2012 Term Loan [Member]	Oct. 02, 2012 Revolving Credit Facility [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 Series B Senior Notes [Member] Refinancing of Debt [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity						$ 1,875,000,000	$ 425,000,000
Cash purchase price			1,400,000,000
Refinanced company and RailAmerica debt and transaction and financing related expenses				1,200,000,000
Debt from New Credit Agreement				1,800,000,000
Proceeds from Class A common stock issuance and TEU issuance	475,500,000
Proceeds from issuance of preferred stock					350,000,000
Make-whole payment								12,600,000
Write off of unamortized deferred debt issuance cost		$ 4,000,000