Intangible Assets and Goodwill Goodwill (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Balance at beginning of period	$ 826,575,000	$ 628,815,000
Goodwill acquired	335,236,000	216,053,000
Acquisition accounting adjustments	10,080,000	(6,895,000)
Goodwill impairment	(14,482,000)
Currency translation adjustment	(31,813,000)	(11,398,000)
Balance at end of period	1,125,596,000	826,575,000
North American Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Balance at beginning of period	605,234,000	615,403,000
Acquisition accounting adjustments	176,000	(6,895,000)
Goodwill impairment	0
Currency translation adjustment	558,000	(4,194,000)
Balance at end of period	632,937,000	605,234,000
Australian Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Balance at beginning of period	39,312,000	0
Acquisition accounting adjustments	168,000	0
Goodwill impairment	0
Currency translation adjustment	(7,882,000)	(3,000,000)
Balance at end of period	339,865,000	39,312,000
U.K./European Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Balance at beginning of period	182,029,000	13,412,000
Goodwill acquired	0
Acquisition accounting adjustments	9,736,000	0
Currency translation adjustment	(24,489,000)	(4,204,000)
Balance at end of period	152,794,000	182,029,000
Providence and Worcester Railroad [Member] | North American Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Goodwill acquired	26,969,000
GRail [Member] | Australian Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Goodwill acquired	308,267,000
Pinsly [Member] | North American Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Goodwill acquired		920,000
Freightliner [Member] | Australian Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Goodwill acquired		42,312,000
Freightliner [Member] | U.K./European Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Goodwill acquired		$ 172,821,000
ERS Railways [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Goodwill impairment	(14,500,000)
ERS Railways [Member] | U.K./European Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Goodwill impairment	$ (14,482,000)