Consolidated Statements of Equity - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock Shares	Additional Paid-in Capital	Retained Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Total Equity - Greenbrier	Noncontrolling Interest	Equity Excluding Contingently Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest	Contingently Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest
Beginning balance at Aug. 31, 2018									$ 29,768
Net earnings									(1,319)
Ending Balance at Nov. 30, 2018									28,449
Beginning balance (in shares) at Aug. 31, 2018		32,191
Beginning balance at Aug. 31, 2018			$ 442,569	$ 830,898	$ (23,366)	$ 1,250,101	$ 134,114	$ 1,384,215
Cumulative effect adjustment due to adoption of ASU at Aug. 31, 2018				5,461		5,461		5,461
Net earnings	$ 23,382			17,956		17,956	6,745	24,701
Other comprehensive income (loss), net	$ (5,994)				(5,979)	(5,979)	(15)	(5,994)
Noncontrolling interest adjustments							3,919	3,919
Joint venture partner distribution declared							(3,173)	(3,173)
Restricted stock awards (net of cancellations) (in shares)		159
Restricted stock awards (net of cancellations)			11,416			11,416		11,416
Unamortized restricted stock			(16,163)			(16,163)		(16,163)
Restricted stock amortization			3,136			3,136		3,136
Cash dividends				(8,297)		(8,297)		(8,297)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Nov. 30, 2018		32,350
Ending Balance at Nov. 30, 2018			440,958	846,018	(29,345)	1,257,631	141,590	1,399,221
Beginning balance at Aug. 31, 2019									31,564
Net earnings									159
Ending Balance at Nov. 30, 2019									$ 31,723
Beginning balance (in shares) at Aug. 31, 2019	32,488	32,488
Beginning balance at Aug. 31, 2019	$ 1,441,697		453,943	867,602	(44,815)	1,276,730	164,967	1,441,697
Cumulative effect adjustment due to adoption of ASU at Aug. 31, 2019				4,393		4,393		4,393
Net earnings	24,011			7,669		7,669	16,183	23,852
Other comprehensive income (loss), net	$ 417				423	423	(6)	417
Noncontrolling interest adjustments							1,736	1,736
Joint venture partner distribution declared							(3,905)	(3,905)
Consolidation of joint venture							12,075	12,075
Restricted stock awards (net of cancellations) (in shares)		108
Restricted stock awards (net of cancellations)			9,472			9,472		9,472
Unamortized restricted stock			(11,341)			(11,341)		(11,341)
Restricted stock amortization			2,826			2,826		2,826
Cash dividends				(8,364)		(8,364)		(8,364)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Nov. 30, 2019	32,596	32,596
Ending Balance at Nov. 30, 2019	$ 1,472,858		$ 454,900	$ 871,300	$ (44,392)	$ 1,281,808	$ 191,050	$ 1,472,858