-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 SgDNCdE37D5QfFApzSamYTH3uCXFXnK3S2dVlNS5F+7id2tSUynMpIK9609VvXGu
 KfSAXZ+hxha7B/pMw3bP+A==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001209191-03-011897.txt : 20030715
<SEC-HEADER>0001209191-03-011897.hdr.sgml : 20030715
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030715114838
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001209191-03-011897
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030714
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030715

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			SHARP JAMES T
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001216143

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-13146
		FILM NUMBER:		03786605

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		GREENBRIER COMPANIES
		STREET 2:		ONE CENTERPOINTE DRIVE
		CITY:			LAKE OSWEGO
		STATE:			OR
		ZIP:			97035

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			GREENBRIER COMPANIES INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000923120
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	RAILROAD EQUIPMENT [3743]
		IRS NUMBER:				930816972
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0831

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE CENTERPOINTE DR
		STREET 2:		STE 200
		CITY:			LAKE OSWEGO
		STATE:			OR
		ZIP:			97035
		BUSINESS PHONE:		5036847000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE CENTERPOINTE DR
		STREET 2:		STE 200
		CITY:			LAKE OSWEGO
		STATE:			OR
		ZIP:			97035
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-07-14</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000923120</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>GREENBRIER COMPANIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>GBX</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001216143</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SHARP JAMES T</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Vice President</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common stock</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-14</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2500</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>8.5625</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></d
irectOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common stock</value><footnoteId id="F2" /></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-14</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>4000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>9.1875</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>6500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common stock</value>
<footnoteId id="F8" /></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-14</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>6500</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>12</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>8.5625</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>20
03-07-14</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2500</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2001-03-25</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-03-24</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></own
ershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>9.1875</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-14</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>4000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2003-01-09</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2009-01-08</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>4000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyin
gSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>4000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">GBX shares were acquired through exercise of an Incentive Stock Option. </footnote><footnote id="F2">GBX shares were acquired through exercise of an Incentive Stock Option.</footnote><footnote id="F8">Reporting person executed a same-day-sale transaction selling 6,500.00 common shares acquired through exercise of incentive stock options. </footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>James T. Sharp
By Robert W. Shank, Attorney-in-fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-15</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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