Notes Payable to Banks and Other Debt Obligations (Details) (USD $)			1 Months Ended											1 Months Ended			1 Months Ended		1 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	May 31, 2012 FC Investment Maximum FNBCT	Mar. 31, 2013 BoS Facility A	Dec. 31, 2012 BoS Facility A	Dec. 31, 2011 BoS Facility A	Mar. 31, 2013 BOS (USA) reducing note facility	Dec. 31, 2011 BOS (USA) reducing note facility	Mar. 31, 2013 Bank of America loan facility	Dec. 31, 2012 Bank of America loan facility	Mar. 31, 2013 FNBCT Loan Facility	Dec. 31, 2012 FNBCT Loan Facility	May 21, 2012 FNBCT Loan Facility FNBCT	May 31, 2012 FNBCT Loan Facility FC Investment	Mar. 31, 2013 FNBCT Loan Facility FC Investment	May 21, 2012 FNBCT Loan Facility FC Investment	May 31, 2012 FNBCT Loan Facility FC Investment Minimum	May 21, 2012 FNBCT Loan Facility FC Investment Minimum	May 31, 2012 FNBCT Loan Facility FC Investment Minimum Prime rate	Mar. 31, 2013 U.S. portfolio entities	Dec. 31, 2012 U.S. portfolio entities	Mar. 31, 2013 Consolidated railroad subsidiaries	Dec. 31, 2012 Consolidated railroad subsidiaries	Mar. 31, 2013 Other notes and debt obligations	Dec. 31, 2012 Other notes and debt obligations
Notes payable to banks
Debt obligations, net of unamortized discount	$ 49,277,000	$ 61,731,000		$ 21,756,000	$ 29,991,000				$ 12,887,000	$ 16,194,000	$ 2,000,000	$ 2,000,000												$ 1,752,000	$ 1,790,000
Non-recourse bank note payable																				3,932,000	4,712,000	6,950,000	7,044,000
Term note maximum capacity							25,000,000
Estimated fair value of debt						91,600,000		0
Unamortized discount				700,000	1,100,000
Maximum credit line											15,000,000	15,000,000			0	15,000,000
Threshold outstanding balance as a percentage of the net present value of the equity interests and loans and other assets pledged			25.00%
Variable rate basis																			Prime Rate of commercial banks
Stated interest rate (as a percent)																		4.00%
Maximum funding commitment													7,500,000
Administration fee														25,000
Facility fee														93,750
Non-utilization fee (as a percent)														0.50%
Interest coverage ratio required to be maintained																	2
Tangible net worth required to be maintained																	$ 75,000,000