Fair Value Accounting (Details 1) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Less: unamortized discount	$ (81.0)	[1]	$ (87.5)
Notes payable	1,366.1	[1]	1,404.2
Total debt	2,884.2	[1]	3,055.0
Manufacturing/Corporate
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Total debt	370.0		363.7
Wholly-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Total debt	1,409.8		1,498.6
Partially-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Total debt	1,104.4		1,192.7
Recourse
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Less: unamortized discount	(81.0)		(87.5)
Total debt	413.7		458.1
Recourse | Manufacturing/Corporate
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Less: unamortized discount	(81.0)		(87.5)
Total debt	370.0		363.7
Recourse | Wholly-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Less: unamortized discount	0		0
Total debt	43.7		94.4
Recourse | Partially-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Less: unamortized discount	0		0
Total debt	0		0
Carrying Value
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Total debt	2,884.2		3,055.0
Carrying Value | Recourse
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Total debt	413.7		458.1
Carrying Value | Recourse | Manufacturing/Corporate
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Convertible subordinated notes	450.0		450.0
Less: unamortized discount	(81.0)		(87.5)
Convertible subordinated notes, net	369.0		362.5
Other	1.0		1.2
Total debt	370.0		363.7
Carrying Value | Recourse | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Total debt	43.7		94.4
Carrying Value | Recourse | Capital lease obligations | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Capital lease obligations	43.7		45.8
Carrying Value | Recourse | Term loan | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Loans payable	0		48.6
Carrying Value | Non-recourse | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Total debt	2,470.5		2,596.9
Carrying Value | Non-recourse | Wholly-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Total debt	1,366.1		1,404.2
Carrying Value | Non-recourse | Partially-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Total debt	1,104.4		1,192.7
Carrying Value | Non-recourse | 2006 secured railcar equipment notes | Wholly-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Notes payable	248.5		255.8
Carrying Value | Non-recourse | Promissory notes | Wholly-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Notes payable	411.8		424.1
Carrying Value | Non-recourse | 2009 secured railcar equipment notes | Wholly-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Notes payable	204.2		209.2
Carrying Value | Non-recourse | 2010 secured railcar equipment notes | Wholly-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Notes payable	334.2		341.5
Carrying Value | Non-recourse | TILC warehouse facility | Wholly-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Loans payable	167.4		173.6
Carrying Value | Non-recourse | 2012 secured railcar equipment notes - RIV 2013 | Partially-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Notes payable	327.0		333.8
Carrying Value | Non-recourse | TRIP Holdings senior secured notes | Partially-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
TRIP Holdings senior secured notes	0		61.2
Carrying Value | Non-recourse | TRIP Master Funding secured railcar equipment notes | Partially-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Notes payable	777.4		797.7
Estimated Fair Value
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Total debt	3,136.1		3,470.9
Estimated Fair Value | Recourse
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Total debt	569.1		606.9
Estimated Fair Value | Recourse | Manufacturing/Corporate
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Convertible subordinated notes	524.4		506.6
Other	1.0		1.2
Estimated Fair Value | Recourse | Capital lease obligations | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Capital lease obligations	43.7		45.8
Estimated Fair Value | Recourse | Term loan | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Loans payable	0		53.3
Estimated Fair Value | Non-recourse | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Total debt	2,567.0		2,864.0
Estimated Fair Value | Non-recourse | 2006 secured railcar equipment notes | Wholly-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Notes payable	268.7		292.0
Estimated Fair Value | Non-recourse | Promissory notes | Wholly-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Notes payable	403.7		414.6
Estimated Fair Value | Non-recourse | 2009 secured railcar equipment notes | Wholly-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Notes payable	235.2		260.4
Estimated Fair Value | Non-recourse | 2010 secured railcar equipment notes | Wholly-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Notes payable	349.4		387.2
Estimated Fair Value | Non-recourse | TILC warehouse facility | Wholly-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Loans payable	167.4		173.6
Estimated Fair Value | Non-recourse | 2012 secured railcar equipment notes - RIV 2013 | Partially-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Notes payable	306.0		321.7
Estimated Fair Value | Non-recourse | TRIP Holdings senior secured notes | Partially-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
TRIP Holdings senior secured notes	0		62.5
Estimated Fair Value | Non-recourse | TRIP Master Funding secured railcar equipment notes | Partially-owned subsidiaries | Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt
Notes payable	$ 836.6		$ 952.0

[1] (unaudited)