Earnings per Share Basic and Diluted EPS (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Numerators:
Net income attributable to Genesee & Wyoming Inc. common stockholders	$ 72,650,000	$ 65,687,000	$ 173,382,000	$ 213,019,000
Less: Series A-1 Preferred Stock dividend	0	0	0	2,139,000
Net income available to common stockholders	$ 72,650,000	$ 65,687,000	$ 173,382,000	$ 210,880,000
Denominators:
Weighted average Class A common shares outstanding - Basic	55,600,000	54,626,000	55,167,000	53,475,000
Weighted average Class B common shares outstanding	1,059,000	1,650,000	1,394,000	1,692,000
Dilutive effect of employee stock-based awards	355,000	462,000	382,000	506,000
Dilutive effect of Series A-1 Preferred Stock	0	0	0	964,000
Weighted average shares - Diluted	57,014,000	56,738,000	56,943,000	56,637,000
Earnings per common share attributable to Genesee & Wyoming Inc. common stockholders:
Basic earnings per common share	$ 1.31	$ 1.20	$ 3.14	$ 3.94
Diluted earnings per common share	$ 1.27	$ 1.16	$ 3.05	$ 3.76
Class A common shares [Member]
Denominators:
Weighted average Class A common shares outstanding - Basic	55,600,000	54,626,000	55,167,000	53,475,000