Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2012	May 31, 2012	Feb. 29, 2012	Nov. 30, 2011	Aug. 31, 2011	May 31, 2011	Feb. 28, 2011	Nov. 30, 2010	Aug. 31, 2012		Aug. 31, 2011		Aug. 31, 2010
Revenue
Manufacturing	$ 306,172	$ 364,930	$ 320,206	$ 262,656	$ 305,554	$ 173,487	$ 156,621	$ 85,440	$ 1,253,964		$ 721,102		$ 295,566
Wheel Services, Refurbishment & Parts	119,077	125,145	119,894	117,749	119,265	126,317	112,015	95,268	481,865		452,865		388,434
Leasing & Services	18,285	17,722	18,086	17,794	17,917	17,476	15,704	18,226	71,887		69,323		72,280
Revenues	443,534	507,797	458,186	398,199	442,736	317,280	284,340	198,934	1,807,716	[1]	1,243,290	[1]	756,280	[1]
Cost of revenue
Manufacturing	269,921	325,424	290,851	236,188	275,154	158,674	147,552	79,747	1,122,384		661,127		268,395
Wheels Services, Refurbishment & Parts	109,486	111,610	106,554	105,891	106,423	111,202	101,413	86,411	433,541		405,449		344,522
Leasing & Services	9,588	8,825	9,295	9,663	10,084	9,254	8,725	9,120	37,371		37,183		41,365
Cost of revenue	388,995	445,859	406,700	351,742	391,661	279,130	257,690	175,278	1,593,296		1,103,759		654,282
Margin	54,539	61,938	51,486	46,457	51,075	38,150	26,650	23,656	214,420		139,531		101,998
Selling and administrative	27,598	28,784	24,979	23,235	22,115	22,580	17,693	17,938	104,596		80,326		69,931
Gain on disposition of equipment	(67)	(2,585)	(2,654)	(3,658)	(2,220)	(1,678)	(1,961)	(2,510)	(8,964)		(8,369)		(8,170)
Special items													(11,870)
Earnings (loss) from operations	27,008	35,739	29,161	26,880	31,180	17,248	10,918	8,228	118,788		67,574		52,107
Other costs
Interest and foreign exchange	6,236	6,560	6,630	5,383	6,345	9,807	10,536	10,304	24,809		36,992		45,204
Gain on extinguishment of debt					5,650	10,007					15,657		(2,070)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes and earnings (loss) from unconsolidated affiliates	20,772	29,179	22,531	21,497	19,185	(2,566)	382	(2,076)	93,979		14,925		8,973
Income tax (expense) benefit	(10,593)	(8,655)	(5,348)	(7,797)	(4,376)	301	(100)	611	(32,393)		(3,564)		959
Earnings before loss from unconsolidated affiliates									61,586		11,361		9,932
Earnings (loss) from unconsolidated affiliates	(317)	201	72	(372)	(1,273)	(539)	(575)	(587)	(416)		(2,974)		(1,601)
Net earnings (loss)	9,862	20,725	17,255	13,328	13,536	(2,804)	(293)	(2,052)	61,170		8,387		8,331
Net loss (earnings) attributable to noncontrolling interest	(2,458)	(1,608)	415	1,189	(902)	(510)	(257)	(252)	(2,462)		(1,921)		(4,054)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Greenbrier	7,404	19,117	17,670	14,517	12,634	(3,314)	(550)	(2,304)	58,708		6,466		4,277
Parent
Revenue
Manufacturing											1,429
Leasing & Services									1,102		1,833		1,803
Revenues									1,102		3,262		1,803
Cost of revenue
Margin									1,102		3,262		1,803
Selling and administrative									42,486		37,450		33,441
Special items													(11,870)
Earnings (loss) from operations									(41,384)		(34,188)		(19,768)
Other costs
Interest and foreign exchange									18,839		32,002		38,866
Gain on extinguishment of debt											15,657		(2,070)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes and earnings (loss) from unconsolidated affiliates									(60,223)		(81,847)		(56,564)
Income tax (expense) benefit									21,560		30,940		24,143
Earnings before loss from unconsolidated affiliates									(38,663)		(50,907)		(32,421)
Earnings (loss) from unconsolidated affiliates									97,371		57,373		36,698
Net earnings (loss)									58,708		6,466		4,277
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Greenbrier									58,708		6,466		4,277
Combined Guarantor Subsidiaries
Revenue
Manufacturing									809,629		413,608		74,526
Wheel Services, Refurbishment & Parts									494,359		467,544		395,053
Leasing & Services									71,382		68,646		72,013
Revenues									1,375,370		949,798		541,592
Cost of revenue
Manufacturing									730,850		394,638		69,872
Wheels Services, Refurbishment & Parts									446,034		419,824		351,565
Leasing & Services									37,450		37,253		41,438
Cost of revenue									1,214,334		851,715		462,875
Margin									161,036		98,083		78,717
Selling and administrative									29,383		22,256		21,263
Gain on disposition of equipment									(8,963)		(8,227)		(8,170)
Earnings (loss) from operations									140,616		84,054		65,624
Other costs
Interest and foreign exchange									3,754		4,022		4,191
Earnings (loss) before income taxes and earnings (loss) from unconsolidated affiliates									136,862		80,032		61,433
Income tax (expense) benefit									(51,655)		(32,953)		(25,144)
Earnings before loss from unconsolidated affiliates									85,207		47,079		36,289
Earnings (loss) from unconsolidated affiliates									(537)		4,196		(6,179)
Net earnings (loss)									84,670		51,275		30,110
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Greenbrier									84,670		51,275		30,110
Combined Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Revenue
Manufacturing									1,057,996		532,444		242,771
Wheel Services, Refurbishment & Parts													1,584
Revenues									1,057,996		532,444		244,355
Cost of revenue
Manufacturing									996,591		492,855		218,890
Wheels Services, Refurbishment & Parts													1,160
Cost of revenue									996,591		492,855		220,050
Margin									61,405		39,589		24,305
Selling and administrative									32,727		20,620		15,227
Earnings (loss) from operations									28,678		18,969		9,078
Other costs
Interest and foreign exchange									3,336		2,134		3,687
Earnings (loss) before income taxes and earnings (loss) from unconsolidated affiliates									25,342		16,835		5,391
Income tax (expense) benefit									(4,362)		(1,642)		1,710
Earnings before loss from unconsolidated affiliates									20,980		15,193		7,101
Earnings (loss) from unconsolidated affiliates									(1)
Net earnings (loss)									20,979		15,193		7,101
Net loss (earnings) attributable to noncontrolling interest									(5,574)		(1,923)		(4,734)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Greenbrier									15,405		13,270		2,367
Eliminations
Revenue
Manufacturing									(613,661)		(226,379)		(21,731)
Wheel Services, Refurbishment & Parts									(12,494)		(14,679)		(8,203)
Leasing & Services									(597)		(1,156)		(1,536)
Revenues									(626,752)		(242,214)		(31,470)
Cost of revenue
Manufacturing									(605,057)		(226,366)		(20,367)
Wheels Services, Refurbishment & Parts									(12,493)		(14,375)		(8,203)
Leasing & Services									(79)		(70)		(73)
Cost of revenue									(617,629)		(240,811)		(28,643)
Margin									(9,123)		(1,403)		(2,827)
Gain on disposition of equipment									(1)		(142)
Earnings (loss) from operations									(9,122)		(1,261)		(2,827)
Other costs
Interest and foreign exchange									(1,120)		(1,166)		(1,540)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes and earnings (loss) from unconsolidated affiliates									(8,002)		(95)		(1,287)
Income tax (expense) benefit									2,064		91		250
Earnings before loss from unconsolidated affiliates									(5,938)		(4)		(1,037)
Earnings (loss) from unconsolidated affiliates									(97,249)		(64,543)		(32,120)
Net earnings (loss)									(103,187)		(64,547)		(33,157)
Net loss (earnings) attributable to noncontrolling interest									3,112		2		680
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Greenbrier									$ (100,075)		$ (64,545)		$ (32,477)

[1] Revenue is presented on the basis of geographic location of customers.