Revenue Recognition - Summary of Contract Balances (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended
Feb. 28, 2019	Sep. 01, 2018
Contract with Customer Asset and Liability [Line Items]
Change in contract assets	$ 2,353
Change in contract liabilities	493
Contract assets	9,581	$ 7,228
Contract liabilities	$ 41,743	$ 41,250

Contract with customer asset and liability Line items.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	gbx_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, after allowance for credit loss, of right to consideration in exchange for good or service transferred to customer when right is conditioned on something other than passage of time.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
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-Topic 606
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82913815&loc=SL49130533-203044

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of obligation to transfer good or service to customer for which consideration has been received or is receivable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
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-Publisher FASB
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-Topic 606
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-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109196051&loc=SL49130549-203045

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) in right to consideration in exchange for good or service transferred to customer when right is conditioned on something other than passage of time.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109223946&loc=d3e3602-108585

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Change during the period in carrying value for all deferred liabilities due within one year or operating cycle.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109223946&loc=d3e3602-108585

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