Revenue (Notes)	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Text Block]	REVENUE: The Company classifies its operating revenues into the following three categories: freight, freight-related and all other. Revenue is recognized when obligations under the terms of a contract with a customer are satisfied. Revenue is measured as the amount of consideration the Company expects to receive in exchange for providing services. Certain of the countries in which the Company operates have a tax assessed by a governmental authority that is both imposed on and concurrent with a specific revenue-producing transaction between a seller and a customer. The Company records these taxes on a net basis. The Company generates freight revenues from the haulage of freight by rail based on a per car, per container or per ton basis. Freight revenues are recognized over time as shipments move from origin to destination as the customer simultaneously receives and consumes the benefit. Related expenses are recognized as incurred. The Company generates freight-related revenues from port terminal railroad operations and industrial switching (where the Company operates trains on a contract basis in facilities it does not own), as well as demurrage, storage, car hire, trucking haulage services, track access rights, transloading, crewing services, traction service (or hook and pull service that requires the Company to provide locomotives and drivers to move a customer's train between specified origin and destination points), and other ancillary revenues related to the movement of freight. Freight-related revenues are recognized as services are performed or as contractual obligations are fulfilled. The Company generates all other revenues from third-party railcar and locomotive repairs, container sales, property rentals and other ancillary revenues not directly related to the movement of freight. All other revenues are recognized as services are performed or as contractual obligations are fulfilled. A performance obligation is a promise in a contract to transfer a distinct good or service to the customer. The Company’s contracts may have a single performance obligation or multiple performance obligations. Contracts with multiple obligations are evaluated to define the specific performance obligations to the customer. The Company typically allocates the standalone selling price adjusted for any applicable variable consideration to each performance obligation to determine the transaction price. For interline traffic, one railroad typically invoices a customer on behalf of all railroads participating in the route. The invoicing railroad then pays the other railroads their portion of the total amount invoiced on a monthly basis. When the Company is the invoicing railroad, it is exposed to customer credit risk for the total amount invoiced and is required to pay the other railroads participating in the route even if the Company is not paid by the customer. The Company records revenue related to interline traffic that involves the services of another party or railroad on a net basis. The portion of the gross amount billed to customers that is remitted by the Company to another party is not reflected as revenue. The timing of revenue recognition, billings and cash collections result in trade accounts receivable, contract assets and contract liabilities. The Company’s contract assets and liabilities are typically short-term in nature, with terms settled within a 12-month period. The Company had no material contract assets or contract liabilities recorded on the consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 2018. Disaggregation of Revenue The Company disaggregates its operating revenues into the following three categories: freight revenues, freight-related revenues and all other revenues. The Company further disaggregates its freight revenues into 14 commodity groups. Refer to Note 15, Segment Information, for the disaggregation of the Company's operating revenues by reportable segment for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017.

REVENUE:

The Company classifies its operating revenues into the following three categories: freight, freight-related and all other. Revenue is recognized when obligations under the terms of a contract with a customer are satisfied. Revenue is measured as the amount of consideration the Company expects to receive in exchange for providing services. Certain of the countries in which the Company operates have a tax assessed by a governmental authority that is both imposed on and concurrent with a specific revenue-producing transaction between a seller and a customer. The Company records these taxes on a net basis.

The Company generates freight revenues from the haulage of freight by rail based on a per car, per container or per ton basis. Freight revenues are recognized over time as shipments move from origin to destination as the customer simultaneously receives and consumes the benefit. Related expenses are recognized as incurred.

The Company generates freight-related revenues from port terminal railroad operations and industrial switching (where the Company operates trains on a contract basis in facilities it does not own), as well as demurrage, storage, car hire, trucking haulage services, track access rights, transloading, crewing services, traction service (or hook and pull service that requires the Company to provide locomotives and drivers to move a customer's train between specified origin and destination points), and other ancillary revenues related to the movement of freight. Freight-related revenues are recognized as services are performed or as contractual obligations are fulfilled.

The Company generates all other revenues from third-party railcar and locomotive repairs, container sales, property rentals and other ancillary revenues not directly related to the movement of freight. All other revenues are recognized as services are performed or as contractual obligations are fulfilled.

A performance obligation is a promise in a contract to transfer a distinct good or service to the customer. The Company’s contracts may have a single performance obligation or multiple performance obligations. Contracts with multiple obligations are evaluated to define the specific performance obligations to the customer. The Company typically allocates the standalone selling price adjusted for any applicable variable consideration to each performance obligation to determine the transaction price.

For interline traffic, one railroad typically invoices a customer on behalf of all railroads participating in the route. The invoicing railroad then pays the other railroads their portion of the total amount invoiced on a monthly basis. When the Company is the invoicing railroad, it is exposed to customer credit risk for the total amount invoiced and is required to pay the other railroads participating in the route even if the Company is not paid by the customer. The Company records revenue related to interline traffic that involves the services of another party or railroad on a net basis. The portion of the gross amount billed to customers that is remitted by the Company to another party is not reflected as revenue.

The timing of revenue recognition, billings and cash collections result in trade accounts receivable, contract assets and contract liabilities. The Company’s contract assets and liabilities are typically short-term in nature, with terms settled within a 12-month period. The Company had no material contract assets or contract liabilities recorded on the consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 2018.

Disaggregation of Revenue

The Company disaggregates its operating revenues into the following three categories: freight revenues, freight-related revenues and all other revenues. The Company further disaggregates its freight revenues into 14 commodity groups. Refer to Note 15, Segment Information, for the disaggregation of the Company's operating revenues by reportable segment for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017.