Earnings per Share Basic and Diluted EPS (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013
Numerators:
Net income attributable to Genesee & Wyoming Inc. common stockholders	$ 60,728,000	$ 64,770,000	$ 100,732,000	$ 147,332,000
Less: Series A-1 Preferred Stock dividend	0	0	0	2,139,000
Net income available to common stockholders	$ 60,728,000	$ 64,770,000	$ 100,732,000	$ 145,193,000
Denominators:
Weighted average Class A common shares outstanding - Basic	55,054,000	54,434,000	54,949,000	52,891,000
Weighted average Class B common shares outstanding	1,519,000	1,700,000	1,564,000	1,713,000
Dilutive effect of employee stock-based awards	375,000	542,000	397,000	574,000
Dilutive effect of Series A-1 Preferred Stock	0	0	0	1,455,000
Weighted average shares - Diluted	56,948,000	56,676,000	56,910,000	56,633,000
Earnings per common share attributable to Genesee & Wyoming Inc. common stockholders:
Basic earnings per common share	$ 1.10	$ 1.19	$ 1.83	$ 2.75
Diluted earnings per common share	$ 1.07	$ 1.14	$ 1.77	$ 2.60
Class A common shares [Member]
Denominators:
Weighted average Class A common shares outstanding - Basic	55,054,000	54,434,000	54,949,000	52,891,000