Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Aug. 31, 2018		Aug. 31, 2017		Aug. 31, 2016
Revenue
Revenue	[1]	$ 2,519,464		$ 2,169,164		$ 2,679,524
Cost of revenue
Cost of revenue		2,110,409		1,747,865		2,128,087
Margin		409,055		421,299		551,437
Selling and administrative		200,439		170,607		158,681
Net gain on disposition of equipment		(44,369)		(9,740)		(15,796)
Earnings from operations		252,985		260,432		408,552
Other costs
Interest and foreign exchange		29,368		24,192		13,502
Earnings before income tax and earnings (loss) from unconsolidated affiliates		223,617		236,240		395,050
Income tax expense		(32,893)		(64,014)		(112,322)
Earnings before earnings (loss) from unconsolidated affiliates		190,724		172,226		282,728
Earnings (loss) from unconsolidated affiliates		(18,661)		(11,764)		2,096
Net earnings		172,063		160,462		284,824
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest		(20,282)		(44,395)		(101,611)
Net earnings attributable to Greenbrier		$ 151,781		$ 116,067		$ 183,213
Basic earnings per common share		$ 4.92	[2]	$ 3.97	[3]	$ 6.28
Diluted earnings per common share	[4]	$ 4.68	[2]	$ 3.65	[3]	$ 5.73
Weighted average common shares:
Basic	[5]	30,857		29,225		29,156
Diluted		32,835		32,562		32,468
Dividends declared per common share		$ 0.96		$ 0.86		$ 0.81
Manufacturing
Revenue
Revenue		$ 2,044,586		$ 1,725,188		$ 2,096,331
Cost of revenue
Cost of revenue		1,727,407		1,373,967		1,630,554
Earnings from operations		240,901		295,334		415,094
Wheels, Repair & Parts
Revenue
Revenue		347,023		312,679		322,395
Cost of revenue
Cost of revenue		318,330		288,336		293,751
Earnings from operations		16,731		14,984		19,948
Leasing & Services
Revenue
Revenue		127,855		131,297		260,798
Cost of revenue
Cost of revenue		64,672		85,562		203,782
Earnings from operations		$ 88,481		$ 31,904		$ 51,723

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

[2] Quarterly amounts do 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, restricted stock units that are not considered participating securities, restricted stock units that are subject to performance criteria for which actual levels of performance above target have been achieved and the dilutive effect of shares underlying the 2018 Convertible Notes, during the periods in which they were outstanding, using the "if converted" method in which debt issuance and interest costs, net of tax, were added back to net earnings. The 2018 Convertible notes matured on April 1, 2018.

[3] Quarterly amounts do 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, restricted stock units that are subject to performance criteria for which actual levels of performance above target have been achieved 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 that are considered participating securities, 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, 2018, 2017 and 2016.