Accounts Receivable (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Schedule of Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Table Text Block]

Accounts receivable consisted of the following at December 31, 2012 and 2011, which included $91.4 million, representing the net realizable value, of accounts receivable acquired in the RailAmerica acquisition (dollars in thousands):



	2012			2011
Accounts receivable—trade	$	214,163		$	130,486
Accounts receivable—grants	25,036			20,753
Accounts receivable—insurance	26,443			17,336
Total accounts receivable	265,642			168,575
Less: allowance for doubtful accounts	(2,693		)	(2,807		)
Accounts receivable, net	$	262,949		$	165,768

Allowance for doubtful accounts [Table Text Block]

Activity in the Company’s allowance for doubtful accounts for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010 was as follows (dollars in thousands):



	2012			2011			2010
Balance, beginning of year	$	2,807		$	3,079		$	3,764
Provisions	977			1,055			1,799
Charges	(1,091		)	(1,327		)	(2,484		)
Balance, end of year	$	2,693		$	2,807		$	3,079