Intangible Assets, Other Assets, Net and Goodwill Intangible Assets (Details) £ in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015 GBP (£)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)
Write off of Deferred Debt Issuance Cost			$ 4,600	$ 500
Gross Carrying Amount		$ 1,206,872	639,636
Accumulated Amortization		(113,920)	(87,985)
Intangible Assets, Net		$ 1,092,952	$ 551,651
Weighted Average Amortization Period (in Years)	62 years	62 years	40 years
Total intangible assets, net		$ 1,128,952	$ 587,663
Perpetual track access agreements
Non-amortizable intangible assets		35,891	35,891
Operating license
Non-amortizable intangible assets		109	121
Operational network rights
Gross Carrying Amount		477,706
Accumulated Amortization		(3,693)
Intangible Assets, Net		$ 474,013
Weighted Average Amortization Period (in Years)	100 years	100 years
Track access agreements
Gross Carrying Amount		$ 415,348	424,835
Accumulated Amortization		(57,751)	(46,367)
Intangible Assets, Net		$ 357,597	$ 378,468
Weighted Average Amortization Period (in Years)	43 years	43 years	43 years
Customer contracts and relationships
Gross Carrying Amount		$ 259,897	$ 177,179
Accumulated Amortization		(35,405)	(26,738)
Intangible Assets, Net		$ 224,492	$ 150,441
Weighted Average Amortization Period (in Years)	30 years	30 years	36 years
Service agreements
Gross Carrying Amount		$ 37,622	$ 37,622
Accumulated Amortization		(16,213)	(14,880)
Intangible Assets, Net		$ 21,409	$ 22,742
Weighted Average Amortization Period (in Years)	28 years	28 years	28 years
Trade names/trademarks [Member]
Gross Carrying Amount		$ 13,327
Accumulated Amortization		(268)
Intangible Assets, Net		$ 13,059
Weighted Average Amortization Period (in Years)	40 years	40 years
Favorable operating leases [Member]
Gross Carrying Amount		$ 2,972
Accumulated Amortization		(590)
Intangible Assets, Net		$ 2,382
Weighted Average Amortization Period (in Years)	5 years	5 years
Freightliner [Member]
Fair values assigned to amortizable intangible assets	£ 392,233	$ 584,270
Freightliner [Member] | Operational network rights
Weighted Average Amortization Period (in Years)	100 years	100 years
Fair values assigned to amortizable intangible assets	£ 324,000	$ 482,630
Freightliner [Member] | Customer contracts and relationships
Weighted Average Amortization Period (in Years)	18 years	18 years
Fair values assigned to amortizable intangible assets	£ 57,000	$ 84,907
Freightliner [Member] | Trade names/trademarks [Member]
Weighted Average Amortization Period (in Years)	40 years	40 years
Fair values assigned to amortizable intangible assets	£ 9,200	$ 13,704
Freightliner [Member] | Favorable operating leases [Member]
Weighted Average Amortization Period (in Years)	5 years	5 years
Fair values assigned to amortizable intangible assets	£ 2,033	$ 3,029
Second Amended and Restated Senior Secured Syndicated Credit Facility Agreement [Member]
Write off of Deferred Debt Issuance Cost		$ 2,000