Consolidated Statements of Income - Entity [Domain] - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		May. 31, 2015	May. 31, 2014	May. 31, 2015	May. 31, 2014
Revenue
Revenue		$ 714,606	$ 593,285	$ 1,839,813	$ 1,585,856
Cost of revenue
Cost of revenue		565,320	496,510	1,477,149	1,369,671
Margin		149,286	96,775	362,664	216,185
Selling and administrative expense		45,595	34,800	112,223	89,034
Net gain on disposition of equipment		(720)	(5,619)	(924)	(14,686)
Restructuring charges			56		1,475
Earnings from operations		104,411	67,538	251,365	140,362
Other costs
Interest and foreign exchange		4,285	5,437	9,355	14,280
Earnings before income taxes and earnings from unconsolidated affiliates		100,126	62,101	242,010	126,082
Income tax (expense) benefit		(30,783)	(16,303)	(76,209)	(36,708)
Earnings before earnings from unconsolidated affiliates		69,343	45,798	165,801	89,374
Earnings from unconsolidated affiliates		982	298	1,552	272
Net earnings		70,325	46,096	167,353	89,646
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest		(27,514)	(12,508)	(41,405)	(25,083)
Net earnings attributable to Greenbrier		$ 42,811	$ 33,588	$ 125,948	$ 64,563
Basic earnings per common share		$ 1.54	$ 1.20	$ 4.58	$ 2.29
Diluted earnings per common share	[1]	$ 1.33	$ 1.03	$ 3.91	$ 2.01
Weighted average common shares:
Basic	[2]	27,842	27,956	27,514	28,223
Diluted		33,000	34,001	33,262	34,268
Dividends declared per common share		$ 0.15		$ 0.45
Manufacturing
Revenue
Revenue		$ 593,376	$ 425,583	$ 1,478,566	$ 1,132,811
Cost of revenue
Cost of revenue		465,658	351,829	1,184,922	969,841
Wheels & Parts
Revenue
Revenue		97,407	140,663	286,671	390,604
Cost of revenue
Cost of revenue		89,645	129,825	259,285	365,740
Leasing & Services
Revenue
Revenue		23,823	27,039	74,576	62,441
Cost of revenue
Cost of revenue		$ 10,017	$ 14,856	$ 32,942	$ 34,090

[1] Diluted earnings per share was calculated as follows: Earnings before interest and debt issuance costs (net of tax) on convertible notes Weighted average diluted common shares outstanding

[2] Restricted stock grants and restricted stock units, including some grants subject to certain performance criteria, are included in weighted average basic common shares outstanding when the Company is in a net earnings position.