Debt (Details Textual) (USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified			12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2013 Recourse Corporate Revolving Credit Facility	Dec. 31, 2013 Recourse Convertible Subordinated Notes	Dec. 31, 2012 Recourse Convertible Subordinated Notes	Dec. 31, 2009 Recourse Term loan	Dec. 31, 2009 Recourse Capital lease obligations	Dec. 31, 2013 Non-recourse 2006 secured railcar equipment notes Trinity Rail Leasing V	May 31, 2006 Non-recourse 2006 secured railcar equipment notes Trinity Rail Leasing V	May 31, 2008 Non-recourse Promissory notes Trinity Rail Leasing VI	Dec. 31, 2013 Non-recourse Promissory notes Trinity Rail Leasing VI	Dec. 31, 2013 Non-recourse 2009 secured railcar equipment notes Trinity Rail Leasing VII	Nov. 30, 2009 Non-recourse 2009 secured railcar equipment notes Trinity Rail Leasing VII	Dec. 31, 2013 Non-recourse 2010 secured railcar equipment notes Trinity Rail Leasing 2010	Oct. 31, 2010 Non-recourse 2010 secured railcar equipment notes Trinity Rail Leasing 2010	Dec. 31, 2013 Non-recourse Series 2012-1 Class A-1 Secured Railcar Equipment Notes Trinity Rail Leasing 2012	Dec. 31, 2013 Non-recourse Series 2012-1 Class A-2 Secured Railcar Equipment Notes Trinity Rail Leasing 2012	Dec. 31, 2013 Non-recourse Series 2013-1 Secured Railcar Equipment Notes Trinity Rail Leasing 2012	Aug. 31, 2013 Non-recourse Series 2013-1 Secured Railcar Equipment Notes Trinity Rail Leasing 2012	Dec. 31, 2013 Non-recourse TILC warehouse facility installments	Jun. 30, 2007 Non-recourse TRIP Warehouse Loan	Jul. 31, 2011 Non-recourse TRIP Holdings senior secured notes	Dec. 31, 2013 Non-recourse TRIP Master Funding secured railcar equipment notes class	Jul. 31, 2011 Non-recourse TRIP Master Funding secured railcar equipment notes	Dec. 31, 2013 Non-recourse TRIP Master Funding Secured Railcar Equipment Class A One a Notes	Dec. 31, 2013 Non-recourse TRIP Master Funding Secured Railcar Equipment Class A One b Notes	Dec. 31, 2013 Non-recourse TRIP Master Funding Secured Railcar Equipment Class A Two Notes
Debt (Textual) [Abstract]
Revolving credit facility			$ 425.0																	$ 475.0
Maturity date of credit facility			Oct. 20, 2016
Used revolving credit facility for letters of credit			68.7
Availability of the revolving credit facility			356.3																	323.0
Borrowing under revolving credit facility exclusive of letters of credit			0
Letter of credit expiring in current year			68.5
Credit facility, description of variable rate reference rate basis			Libor
Percentage points added to LIBOR to compute interest rates on the credit facility			1.50%
Credit facility, description of variable rate reference rate basis, alternative computation			prime
Percentage points added to prime to compute interest rates on the credit facility, alternative computation			0.50%
Convertible Subordinated Notes face amount				450.0
Maturity date				Jun. 01, 2036				May 14, 2036				Nov. 16, 2039		Oct. 16, 2040		Jan. 15, 2043	Jan. 15, 2043	Jul. 15, 2043
Redemption value Convertible Subordinated Notes if redeemed in cash				at 100% of the principal amount of the notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest (including any contingent interest) up to, but excluding, the redemption date
Percentage of principal amount used in cash redemption value computation				100.00%
Capital in excess of par value related to the convertible subordinated notes' conversion options				92.8	92.8
Date through which debt discount is being amortized				Jun. 01, 2018
Effective annual interest rate yield based upon the estimated market interest rate				8.42%
Percentage of conversion price at which Convertible Subordinates Notes are convertible				130.00%
Conversion price of Convertible Subordinated Notes (in dollars per share)				$ 50.78
Face value of debt instrument						61.0			355.0	572.2			238.3		369.2	145.4	188.4		183.4		1,190.0	175.0		857.0
Notes payable	1,314.7	1,404.2						240.7			396.1	199.0		326.9		130.2	188.4	180.7							157.9	89.3	509.6
Interest rate on notes				3.875%				5.90%				6.66%		5.19%		2.27%	3.53%	3.90%							4.37%		6.02%
Term of debt instrument						7 years				30 years
Description of variable rate basis											Libor															Libor
Percentage points added to LIBOR											1.50%															2.50%
Rate at which LIBOR portion of debt is fixed due to issuance of interst rate swap											4.13%
Number of initial years of fixed interest rate due to swaps											7 years
Rate increase on each of seventh and eighth anniversary dates of issuance											0.50%
Rate increase on tenth anniversary date of issuance											2.00%
Loans payable																				152.0
Interest at a defined index rate plus a margin for advances under the facility																				1.93%
Maturity date																				June 2015			July 2041
Number of installments payable for amounts outstanding at maturity, absent renewal																				3
Installment payable date, installment one																				December 2015
Installment payable date, installment two																				June 2016
Installment payable date, installment three																				December 2016
Capital lease obligations							$ 56.6
Number of classes of notes																							3