Coupon rate

No definition available.

Name:	gwr_CouponRate
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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Sum of the carrying values as of the balance sheet date of all debt, including all short-term borrowings, long-term debt, and capital lease obligations.

+ References

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

+ Details

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Date when the debt instrument is scheduled to be fully repaid, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

Carrying amount of long-term debt, net of unamortized discount or premium, including current and noncurrent amounts. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.16)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 20, 22
-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebt
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of long-term debt and capital lease obligation due after one year or beyond the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)
-Number Topic 6
-Section H

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of long-term debt and capital leases due within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebtAndCapitalLeaseObligationsCurrent
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=gwr_CreditagreementMember
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=gwr_TeusAmortizingNoteMember
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=gwr_TeusAmortizingNoteMember
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- Details

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- Details

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Long-term Debt Long Term Debt (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 19, 2012	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt		$ 2,180,847	$ 1,603,772
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations		2,305,259	1,615,449
Less: current portion		81,953	67,398
Long-term debt, less current portion		$ 2,223,306	$ 1,548,051
Amended and Restated Credit Agreement [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage		2.60%	1.92%
Debt Instrument, Maturity date		Mar. 31, 2020
Credit agreement [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt		$ 2,177,724	$ 1,584,044
TEUs - amortizing note [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Coupon rate	5.00%	5.00%	5.00%
Debt Instrument, Maturity date		Oct. 01, 2015
TEUs - amortizing note [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt		$ 0	$ 11,184
Other debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt		3,123	8,544
Other debt [Member] \| Other debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations		$ 127,535	$ 20,221