Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Revenues:
Total revenues	$ 1,256.0	$ 1,110.3	$ 1,066.1	$ 932.9	$ 1,012.9	$ 907.3	$ 995.5	$ 896.2	$ 4,365.3	$ 3,811.9	$ 2,938.3
Cost of revenues:
Total cost of revenues	962.7	836.3	812.2	711.1	800.9	728.1	792.3	730.2	3,322.3	3,051.5	2,357.5
Selling, engineering, and administrative expenses	80.2	70.6	71.5	69.0	64.6	55.8	53.0	50.7	291.3	224.1	194.0
Gain on disposition of property, plant, and equipment	11.3	2.2	1.0	6.7	11.5	17.3	2.3	7.4	21.2	38.5	40.0
Operating Profit	224.4	205.6	183.4	159.5	158.9	140.7	152.5	122.7	772.9	574.8	426.8
Net income from continuing operations	118.9	105.8	89.2	72.2	71.0	62.4	66.1	52.4	386.1	251.9	146.8
Discontinued operations, net of tax	0.4	0.3	(1.0)	6.6	(0.2)	0.7	1.4	(0.1)	6.3	1.8	(1.1)
Net income	119.3	106.1	88.2	78.8	70.8	63.1	67.5	52.3	392.4	253.7	145.7
Net income attributable to Trinity Industries, Inc.	112.8	99.6	84.0	79.1	71.3	63.2	67.8	52.9	375.5	255.2	142.2
Basic:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 1.43	$ 1.26	$ 1.07	$ 0.91	$ 0.90	$ 0.79	$ 0.82	$ 0.66	$ 4.68	$ 3.18	$ 1.78
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.00	$ (0.01)	$ 0.08	$ 0.00	$ 0.01	$ 0.02	$ 0.00	$ 0.08	$ 0.02	$ (0.01)
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 1.44	$ 1.26	$ 1.06	$ 0.99	$ 0.90	$ 0.80	$ 0.84	$ 0.66	$ 4.76	$ 3.20	$ 1.77
Diluted:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 1.43	$ 1.26	$ 1.07	$ 0.91	$ 0.90	$ 0.79	$ 0.82	$ 0.66	$ 4.67	$ 3.17	$ 1.78
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.00	$ (0.01)	$ 0.08	$ 0.00	$ 0.01	$ 0.02	$ 0.00	$ 0.08	$ 0.02	$ (0.01)
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 1.44	$ 1.26	$ 1.06	$ 0.99	$ 0.90	$ 0.80	$ 0.84	$ 0.66	$ 4.75	$ 3.19	$ 1.77
Manufacturing
Revenues:
Total revenues	1,065.2	959.7	896.5	798.5	862.2	748.0	803.2	754.1	3,719.9	3,167.5	2,386.9
Cost of revenues:
Total cost of revenues	856.7	767.0	726.0	641.2	720.4	643.8	680.2	656.8	2,990.9	2,701.2	2,067.2
Selling, engineering, and administrative expenses									180.4	143.4	127.1
Leasing
Revenues:
Total revenues	190.8	150.6	169.6	134.4	150.7	159.3	192.3	142.1	645.4	644.4	551.4
Cost of revenues:
Total cost of revenues	106.0	69.3	86.2	69.9	80.5	84.3	112.1	73.4	331.4	350.3	290.3
Selling, engineering, and administrative expenses									$ 37.6	$ 29.4	$ 23.4