Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 121,390	$ 80,472
Accounts receivable, net	422,727	416,705
Materials and supplies	56,035	57,750
Prepaid expenses and other	52,968	34,606
Total current assets	653,120	589,533
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, net	4,640,824	4,656,921
GOODWILL	1,162,657	1,165,587
INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net	1,562,007	1,567,038
DEFERRED INCOME TAX ASSETS, net	3,465	3,343
OTHER ASSETS	48,703	52,475
Total assets	8,070,776	8,034,897
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current portion of long-term debt	50,952	27,853
Accounts payable	251,875	253,993
Accrued expenses	157,958	185,935
Total current liabilities	460,785	467,781
LONG-TERM DEBT, less current portion	2,341,563	2,303,442
DEFERRED INCOME TAX LIABILITIES, net	852,731	873,194
DEFERRED ITEMS - grants from outside parties	321,420	321,592
OTHER LONG-TERM LIABILITIES	170,901	172,796
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
EQUITY:
Additional paid-in capital	1,762,437	1,757,332
Retained earnings	2,312,932	2,234,864
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(98,159)	(105,534)
Treasury stock, at cost	(297,126)	(236,951)
Total Genesee & Wyoming Inc. stockholders' equity	3,680,840	3,650,466
Noncontrolling interest	242,536	245,626
Total equity	3,923,376	3,896,092
Total liabilities and equity	8,070,776	8,034,897
Class A Common Stock, $0.01 par value, one vote per share; 180,000,000 shares authorized at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017; 74,924,202 and 74,808,305 shares issued and 61,229,743 and 61,946,078 shares outstanding (net of 13,694,459 and 12,862,227 shares in treasury) on March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively
EQUITY:
Common Stock	749	748
Class B Common Stock, $0.01 par value, ten votes per share; 30,000,000 shares authorized at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017; 701,138 shares issued and outstanding on March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017
EQUITY:
Common Stock	$ 7	$ 7

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of liabilities incurred (and for which invoices have typically been received) and payable to vendors for goods and services received that are used in an entity's business. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsPayableCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount due from customers or clients, within one year of the balance sheet date (or the normal operating cycle, whichever is longer), for goods or services (including trade receivables) that have been delivered or sold in the normal course of business, reduced to the estimated net realizable fair value by an allowance established by the entity of the amount it deems uncertain of collection.