Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Aug. 31, 2017		Aug. 31, 2016		Aug. 31, 2015
Revenue
Revenue	[1]	$ 2,169,164		$ 2,679,524		$ 2,605,278
Cost of revenue
Cost of revenue		1,747,865		2,128,087		2,067,925
Margin		421,299		551,437		537,353
Selling and administrative		170,607		158,681		151,791
Net gain on disposition of equipment		(9,740)		(15,796)		(1,330)
Earnings from operations		260,432		408,552		386,892
Other costs
Interest and foreign exchange		24,192		13,502		11,179
Earnings before income tax and earnings (loss) from unconsolidated affiliates		236,240		395,050		375,713
Income tax expense		(64,014)		(112,322)		(112,160)
Earnings before earnings (loss) from unconsolidated affiliates		172,226		282,728		263,553
Earnings (loss) from unconsolidated affiliates		(11,764)		2,096		1,756
Net earnings		160,462		284,824		265,309
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest		(44,395)		(101,611)		(72,477)
Net earnings attributable to Greenbrier		$ 116,067		$ 183,213		$ 192,832
Basic earnings per common share		$ 3.97	[2]	$ 6.28	[3]	$ 6.85
Diluted earnings per common share	[4]	$ 3.65	[2]	$ 5.73	[3]	$ 5.93
Weighted average common shares:
Basic	[5]	29,225		29,156		28,151
Diluted		32,562		32,468		33,328
Dividends declared per common share		$ 0.86		$ 0.81		$ 0.60
Manufacturing
Revenue
Revenue		$ 1,725,188		$ 2,096,331		$ 2,136,051
Cost of revenue
Cost of revenue		1,373,967		1,630,554		1,691,414
Earnings from operations		295,334		415,094		396,921
Wheels & Parts
Revenue
Revenue		312,679		322,395		371,237
Cost of revenue
Cost of revenue		288,336		293,751		334,680
Earnings from operations		14,984		19,948		27,563
Leasing & Services
Revenue
Revenue		131,297		260,798		97,990
Cost of revenue
Cost of revenue		85,562		203,782		41,831
Earnings from operations		$ 31,904		$ 51,723		$ 41,887

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

[2] Quarterly amounts may not total to the year to date amount as each period is calculated discretely. Diluted earnings per common share includes the dilutive effect of the 2024 Convertible Notes using the treasury stock method when dilutive and the dilutive effect of shares underlying the 2018 Convertible Notes using the "if converted" method in which debt issuance and interest costs, net of tax, were added back to net earnings.

[3] Quarterly amounts may not total to the year to date amount as each period is calculated discretely. Diluted earnings per common share includes the dilutive effect of the 2026 Convertible Notes using the treasury stock method when dilutive and the dilutive effect of shares underlying the 2018 Convertible Notes using the "if converted" method in which debt issuance and interest costs, net of tax, were added back to net earnings.

[4] Diluted earnings per share was calculated as follows: Earnings before interest and debt issuance costs on convertible notes Weighted average diluted common shares outstanding

[5] 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. No restricted stock and restricted stock units were anti-dilutive for the years ended August 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015.