Legal Proceedings and Other Contingencies	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Legal Proceedings and Other Contingencies	OTE 11. Legal Proceedings and Other Contingencies Various legal actions, claims, assessments and other contingencies arising in the ordinary course of business are pending against GATX and certain of our subsidiaries. These matters are subject to many uncertainties, and it is possible that some of these matters could ultimately be decided, resolved or settled adversely. For a full discussion of our pending legal matters, please refer to "Note 23. Legal Proceedings and Other Contingencies" of our consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013. Viareggio Derailment In June 2009, a train consisting of fourteen liquefied petroleum gas (“LPG”) tank cars owned by GATX Rail Austria GmbH (an indirect subsidiary of the Company, "GATX Rail Austria") and its subsidiaries derailed while passing through the City of Viareggio, in the province of Lucca, Italy. Five tank cars overturned and one of the overturned cars was punctured by a peg or obstacle along the side of the track, resulting in a release of LPG, which subsequently ignited. Thirty-two people died and others were injured in the fire, which also resulted in property damage. The LPG tank cars were leased to FS Logistica S.p.A., a subsidiary of the Italian state-owned railway, Ferrovie dello Stato S.p.A (the “Italian Railway”). On December 14, 2012, the Public Prosecutors of Lucca ("Public Prosecutors") formally charged GATX Rail Austria and two of its subsidiaries (collectively, "GRA"), as well as ten maintenance and supervisory employees (the "Employees"), with various negligence-based crimes related to the accident, all of which are punishable under Italian law by incarceration, damages and fines. Similar charges were brought against four Italian Railway companies and eighteen of their employees, among others. The Public Prosecutors assert that the axle on a tank car broke, causing the derailment and resulting in a tank rupture and release of LPG, after the car hit an obstacle placed on the side of the track by the Italian Railway. The Public Prosecutors further allege that a crack in the axle was detectable at the time of final inspection but was overlooked by the Employees at the Jungenthal Waggon GmbH workshop (a subsidiary of GATX Rail Austria). The trial in the Court of Lucca (the “Lucca Trial”) commenced on November 13, 2013. With respect to civil claims, GRA’s insurers continue to work cooperatively with the insurer for the Italian Railway to adjust and settle personal injury and property damage claims. These joint settlement efforts have so far settled most of the significant civil claims related to the accident; however, approximately 90 civil claimants did not settle and are currently parties to the Lucca Trial. The Court of Lucca will determine both the civil and criminal liability of the defendants in the one proceeding. GRA believes that it and its Employees acted diligently and properly with respect to applicable legal and industry standards, but expects that its insurers will cover any civil damages if awarded to the claimants in the Lucca trial. Since May 2012, the excess insurer providing coverage, Liberty Mutual Insurance Europe Limited (“Liberty”) has settled civil claims but has refused to reimburse GRA for its ongoing legal defense fees and costs, taking a position contrary to insurers in the prior underlying layers who had provided coverage for such expenses. To date, GRA has incurred approximately $5.6 million in unreimbursed defense fees and costs at the Liberty coverage layer and continues to incur costs in connection with the Lucca Trial. Consequently, in October 2013, GRA filed an arbitration proceeding against Liberty seeking to recoup its unreimbursed defense fees and costs (the “Liberty Arbitration”). The Liberty excess layer is currently fully exhausted and, therefore, the issue of reimbursement for outstanding defense costs will now be determined by the four insurers in the next coverage layer, which includes 25% held by Liberty. GRA cannot predict the outcome of the Liberty Arbitration, the amount of defense fees and costs that ultimately may not be reimbursed by Liberty, or the positions other excess insurers in the current coverage layer may take with respect to defense fees and costs. GATX cannot predict the outcome of the Lucca Trial or what other legal proceedings or claims, if any, may be initiated against GRA or its personnel, and, therefore, cannot reasonably estimate the possible amount or range of loss that may ultimately be incurred in connection with this accident. Accordingly, we have not established any accruals with respect to this matter.

OTE 11. Legal Proceedings and Other Contingencies

Various legal actions, claims, assessments and other contingencies arising in the ordinary course of business are pending against GATX and certain of our subsidiaries. These matters are subject to many uncertainties, and it is possible that some of these matters could ultimately be decided, resolved or settled adversely. For a full discussion of our pending legal matters, please refer to "Note 23. Legal Proceedings and Other Contingencies" of our consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013.

Viareggio Derailment

In June 2009, a train consisting of fourteen liquefied petroleum gas (“LPG”) tank cars owned by GATX Rail Austria GmbH (an indirect subsidiary of the Company, "GATX Rail Austria") and its subsidiaries derailed while passing through the City of Viareggio, in the province of Lucca, Italy. Five tank cars overturned and one of the overturned cars was punctured by a peg or obstacle along the side of the track, resulting in a release of LPG, which subsequently ignited. Thirty-two people died and others were injured in the fire, which also resulted in property damage. The LPG tank cars were leased to FS Logistica S.p.A., a subsidiary of the Italian state-owned railway, Ferrovie dello Stato S.p.A (the “Italian Railway”).

On December 14, 2012, the Public Prosecutors of Lucca ("Public Prosecutors") formally charged GATX Rail Austria and two of its subsidiaries (collectively, "GRA"), as well as ten maintenance and supervisory employees (the "Employees"), with various negligence-based crimes related to the accident, all of which are punishable under Italian law by incarceration, damages and fines. Similar charges were brought against four Italian Railway companies and eighteen of their employees, among others. The Public Prosecutors assert that the axle on a tank car broke, causing the derailment and resulting in a tank rupture and release of LPG, after the car hit an obstacle placed on the side of the track by the Italian Railway. The Public Prosecutors further allege that a crack in the axle was detectable at the time of final inspection but was overlooked by the Employees at the Jungenthal Waggon GmbH workshop (a subsidiary of GATX Rail Austria). The trial in the Court of Lucca (the “Lucca Trial”) commenced on November 13, 2013.

With respect to civil claims, GRA’s insurers continue to work cooperatively with the insurer for the Italian Railway to adjust and settle personal injury and property damage claims. These joint settlement efforts have so far settled most of the significant civil claims related to the accident; however, approximately 90 civil claimants did not settle and are currently parties to the Lucca Trial. The Court of Lucca will determine both the civil and criminal liability of the defendants in the one proceeding. GRA believes that it and its Employees acted diligently and properly with respect to applicable legal and industry standards, but expects that its insurers will cover any civil damages if awarded to the claimants in the Lucca trial.

Since May 2012, the excess insurer providing coverage, Liberty Mutual Insurance Europe Limited (“Liberty”) has settled civil claims but has refused to reimburse GRA for its ongoing legal defense fees and costs, taking a position contrary to insurers in the prior underlying layers who had provided coverage for such expenses. To date, GRA has incurred approximately $5.6 million in unreimbursed defense fees and costs at the Liberty coverage layer and continues to incur costs in connection with the Lucca Trial. Consequently, in October 2013, GRA filed an arbitration proceeding against Liberty seeking to recoup its unreimbursed defense fees and costs (the “Liberty Arbitration”). The Liberty excess layer is currently fully exhausted and, therefore, the issue of reimbursement for outstanding defense costs will now be determined by the four insurers in the next coverage layer, which includes 25% held by Liberty. GRA cannot predict the outcome of the Liberty Arbitration, the amount of defense fees and costs that ultimately may not be reimbursed by Liberty, or the positions other excess insurers in the current coverage layer may take with respect to defense fees and costs.

GATX cannot predict the outcome of the Lucca Trial or what other legal proceedings or claims, if any, may be initiated against GRA or its personnel, and, therefore, cannot reasonably estimate the possible amount or range of loss that may ultimately be incurred in connection with this accident. Accordingly, we have not established any accruals with respect to this matter.