Debt (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012 Carrying Value	Dec. 31, 2011 Carrying Value	Dec. 31, 2012 Recourse	Dec. 31, 2011 Recourse	Dec. 31, 2012 Recourse Carrying Value	Dec. 31, 2011 Recourse Carrying Value	Dec. 31, 2009 Recourse Capital lease obligations	Dec. 31, 2012 Non-Recourse	Dec. 31, 2011 Non-Recourse	Dec. 31, 2012 Manufacturing/Corporate	Dec. 31, 2011 Manufacturing/Corporate	Dec. 31, 2012 Manufacturing/Corporate Recourse	Dec. 31, 2011 Manufacturing/Corporate Recourse	Dec. 31, 2012 Manufacturing/Corporate Recourse Carrying Value	Dec. 31, 2011 Manufacturing/Corporate Recourse Carrying Value	Dec. 31, 2012 Manufacturing/Corporate Non-Recourse	Dec. 31, 2011 Manufacturing/Corporate Non-Recourse	Dec. 31, 2012 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Wholly-owned subsidiaries	Dec. 31, 2011 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Wholly-owned subsidiaries	Dec. 31, 2012 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group TRIP Holdings	Dec. 31, 2011 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group TRIP Holdings	Dec. 31, 2009 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Recourse Capital lease obligations	Dec. 31, 2012 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Recourse Wholly-owned subsidiaries	Dec. 31, 2011 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Recourse Wholly-owned subsidiaries	Dec. 31, 2012 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Recourse Wholly-owned subsidiaries Carrying Value	Dec. 31, 2011 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Recourse Wholly-owned subsidiaries Carrying Value	Dec. 31, 2012 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Recourse Wholly-owned subsidiaries Capital lease obligations Carrying Value	Dec. 31, 2011 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Recourse Wholly-owned subsidiaries Capital lease obligations Carrying Value	Dec. 31, 2012 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Recourse Wholly-owned subsidiaries Term loan Carrying Value	Dec. 31, 2011 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Recourse Wholly-owned subsidiaries Term loan Carrying Value	Dec. 31, 2012 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Recourse TRIP Holdings	Dec. 31, 2011 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Recourse TRIP Holdings	Dec. 31, 2012 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Non-Recourse Carrying Value	Dec. 31, 2011 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Non-Recourse Carrying Value	Dec. 31, 2012 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Non-Recourse TRIP Master Funding secured railcar equipment notes Carrying Value	Dec. 31, 2011 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Non-Recourse TRIP Master Funding secured railcar equipment notes Carrying Value	Dec. 31, 2012 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Non-Recourse Wholly-owned subsidiaries	Dec. 31, 2011 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Non-Recourse Wholly-owned subsidiaries	Dec. 31, 2012 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Non-Recourse Wholly-owned subsidiaries 2006 secured railcar equipment notes Carrying Value	Dec. 31, 2011 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Non-Recourse Wholly-owned subsidiaries 2006 secured railcar equipment notes Carrying Value	Dec. 31, 2012 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Non-Recourse Wholly-owned subsidiaries Promissory notes Carrying Value	Dec. 31, 2011 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Non-Recourse Wholly-owned subsidiaries Promissory notes Carrying Value	Dec. 31, 2012 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Non-Recourse Wholly-owned subsidiaries 2009 secured railcar equipment notes Carrying Value	Dec. 31, 2011 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Non-Recourse Wholly-owned subsidiaries 2009 secured railcar equipment notes Carrying Value	Dec. 31, 2012 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Non-Recourse Wholly-owned subsidiaries 2010 secured railcar equipment notes Carrying Value	Dec. 31, 2011 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Non-Recourse Wholly-owned subsidiaries 2010 secured railcar equipment notes Carrying Value	Dec. 31, 2012 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Non-Recourse Wholly-owned subsidiaries 2012 secured railcar equipment notes Carrying Value	Dec. 31, 2011 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Non-Recourse Wholly-owned subsidiaries 2012 secured railcar equipment notes Carrying Value	Dec. 31, 2012 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Non-Recourse Wholly-owned subsidiaries TILC warehouse facility Carrying Value	Dec. 31, 2011 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Non-Recourse Wholly-owned subsidiaries TILC warehouse facility Carrying Value	Dec. 31, 2012 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Non-Recourse TRIP Holdings	Dec. 31, 2011 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Non-Recourse TRIP Holdings	Dec. 31, 2012 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Non-Recourse TRIP Holdings TRIP Holdings senior secured notes Carrying Value	Dec. 31, 2011 Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group Non-Recourse TRIP Holdings TRIP Holdings senior secured notes Carrying Value
Components of debt
Revolving credit facility																$ 0	$ 0
Convertible subordinated notes																450.0	450.0
Less: unamortized discount	(87.5)	(99.8)			(87.5)	(99.8)									(99.8)	(87.5)	(99.8)								0	0							0	0
Convertible subordinated notes, net																362.5	350.2
Other																1.2	1.5
Capital lease obligations									56.6															56.6					45.8	48.6
Loans payable																															48.6	54.7																			173.6	308.5
Notes payable	1,738.0	1,616.0																																			797.7	840.0			255.8	269.3	424.1	465.5	209.2	218.4	341.5	354.3	333.8	0
Total debt	3,055.0	2,972.2	3,055.0	2,972.2	458.1	455.0	458.1	455.0				363.7	351.7	363.7	351.7	363.7	351.7			1,832.4	1,719.3	858.9	901.2		94.4	103.3	94.4	103.3					0	0	2,596.9	2,517.2
TRIP Holdings senior secured notes:
Total outstanding																																																							170.0	170.0
Less: owned by Trinity										(108.8)	(108.8)							0	0																				0	0													(108.8)	(108.8)	(108.8)	(108.8)
TRIP Holdings senior secured notes																																																							$ 61.2	$ 61.2