Partially-Owned Leasing Subsidiaries	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Partially-Owned Leasing Subsidiaries [Abstract]
Partially-Owned Leasing Subsidiaries	Partially-Owned Leasing Subsidiaries The Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, TILC, formed two subsidiaries, TRIP Holdings and RIV 2013, for the purpose of providing railcar leasing in North America. Each of TRIP Holdings and RIV 2013 are direct, partially-owned subsidiaries of TILC and are each governed by a seven-member board of representatives, two of whom are designated by TILC. TILC is the agent of each of TRIP Holdings and RIV 2013 and as such, has been delegated the authority, power, and discretion to take certain actions on behalf of the respective companies. Each of TRIP Holdings and RIV 2013 in turn has wholly-owned subsidiaries which are the owners of railcars. These wholly-owned subsidiaries are TRIP Master Funding (wholly-owned by TRIP Holdings) and Trinity Rail Leasing 2012 LLC ("TRL 2012", wholly-owned by RIV 2013). TILC is the contractual servicer for TRIP Master Funding and TRL 2012, with the authority to manage and service each entity's owned railcars. The Company's controlling interest in each of TRIP Holdings and RIV 2013 results from its combined role as both equity member and agent/servicer. The noncontrolling interest included in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets represents the non-Trinity equity interest in these partially-owned subsidiaries. The railcars owned by TRIP Master Funding were originally acquired from the Company's Rail and Leasing Groups by TRIP Rail Leasing LLC ("TRIP Leasing"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of TRIP Holdings. TRIP Master Funding acquired the railcars from TRIP Leasing in July 2011. TRIP Leasing currently owns no railcars and is not expected to acquire any railcars. TRIP Holdings and RIV 2013, through TRIP Leasing and TRL 2012, respectively, acquired railcars from the Company's Rail and Leasing Groups funded by capital contributions from TILC and third-party equity investors, and from secured borrowings. Railcars purchased from the Company by TRIP Master Funding and TRL 2012 are required to be purchased at fair value as determined by TILC and approved by the boards of representatives of TRIP Holdings and RIV 2013, respectively. The assets of each of TRIP Master Funding and TRL 2012 may only be used to satisfy the particular subsidiary's liabilities, and the creditors of each of TRIP Master Funding and TRL 2012 have recourse only to the particular subsidiary's assets. Each of TILC and the third-party equity investors receive distributions from TRIP Holdings and RIV 2013, when allowed, in proportion to its respective equity interests, and has an interest in the net assets of the partially-owned subsidiaries upon a liquidation event in the same proportion. TILC is paid fees for the services it provides to TRIP Master Funding and TRL 2012 and has the potential to earn certain incentive fees. With respect to TRIP Holdings as of December 31, 2014, TILC has a commitment that expires in May 2016 to provide additional equity funding of up to $5.7 million for the purchase of railcars and satisfaction of certain other liabilities of TRIP Holdings. The third-party equity investors in TRIP Holdings have a similar commitment that expires in May 2016 to provide up to $12.9 million of additional equity funding. TILC and the third-party equity investors may have additional commitments to provide equity funding to TRIP Holdings that expire in May 2019 contingent upon certain returns on investment in TRIP Holdings and other conditions being met. Trinity has no obligation to guarantee performance under any of the partially-owned subsidiaries' (or their respective subsidiaries') debt agreements, guarantee any railcar residual values, shield any parties from losses, or guarantee minimum yields. In May 2014, TILC and the third-party investors of TRIP Holdings contributed $21.6 million and $49.6 million, respectively, net of expenses, to TRIP Holdings. These contributions, combined with additional secured borrowings, were used to purchase additional railcar equipment from TILC. At December 31, 2014, the Company's carrying value of its investment in TRIP Holdings and RIV 2013 totaled $229.1 million representing the Company's weighted average 39% ownership interest. The Company's investments in its partially-owned leasing subsidiaries are eliminated in consolidation. See Note 11 Debt regarding the debt of TRIP Holdings and RIV 2013 and their respective subsidiaries.

Partially-Owned Leasing Subsidiaries

The Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, TILC, formed two subsidiaries, TRIP Holdings and RIV 2013, for the purpose of providing railcar leasing in North America. Each of TRIP Holdings and RIV 2013 are direct, partially-owned subsidiaries of TILC and are each governed by a seven-member board of representatives, two of whom are designated by TILC. TILC is the agent of each of TRIP Holdings and RIV 2013 and as such, has been delegated the authority, power, and discretion to take certain actions on behalf of the respective companies. Each of TRIP Holdings and RIV 2013 in turn has wholly-owned subsidiaries which are the owners of railcars. These wholly-owned subsidiaries are TRIP Master Funding (wholly-owned by TRIP Holdings) and Trinity Rail Leasing 2012 LLC ("TRL 2012", wholly-owned by RIV 2013). TILC is the contractual servicer for TRIP Master Funding and TRL 2012, with the authority to manage and service each entity's owned railcars. The Company's controlling interest in each of TRIP Holdings and RIV 2013 results from its combined role as both equity member and agent/servicer. The noncontrolling interest included in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets represents the non-Trinity equity interest in these partially-owned subsidiaries. The railcars owned by TRIP Master Funding were originally acquired from the Company's Rail and Leasing Groups by TRIP Rail Leasing LLC ("TRIP Leasing"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of TRIP Holdings. TRIP Master Funding acquired the railcars from TRIP Leasing in July 2011. TRIP Leasing currently owns no railcars and is not expected to acquire any railcars.

TRIP Holdings and RIV 2013, through TRIP Leasing and TRL 2012, respectively, acquired railcars from the Company's Rail and Leasing Groups funded by capital contributions from TILC and third-party equity investors, and from secured borrowings. Railcars purchased from the Company by TRIP Master Funding and TRL 2012 are required to be purchased at fair value as determined by TILC and approved by the boards of representatives of TRIP Holdings and RIV 2013, respectively. The assets of each of TRIP Master Funding and TRL 2012 may only be used to satisfy the particular subsidiary's liabilities, and the creditors of each of TRIP Master Funding and TRL 2012 have recourse only to the particular subsidiary's assets. Each of TILC and the third-party equity investors receive distributions from TRIP Holdings and RIV 2013, when allowed, in proportion to its respective equity interests, and has an interest in the net assets of the partially-owned subsidiaries upon a liquidation event in the same proportion. TILC is paid fees for the services it provides to TRIP Master Funding and TRL 2012 and has the potential to earn certain incentive fees. With respect to TRIP Holdings as of December 31, 2014, TILC has a commitment that expires in May 2016 to provide additional equity funding of up to $5.7 million for the purchase of railcars and satisfaction of certain other liabilities of TRIP Holdings. The third-party equity investors in TRIP Holdings have a similar commitment that expires in May 2016 to provide up to $12.9 million of additional equity funding. TILC and the third-party equity investors may have additional commitments to provide equity funding to TRIP Holdings that expire in May 2019 contingent upon certain returns on investment in TRIP Holdings and other conditions being met. Trinity has no obligation to guarantee performance under any of the partially-owned subsidiaries' (or their respective subsidiaries') debt agreements, guarantee any railcar residual values, shield any parties from losses, or guarantee minimum yields.

In May 2014, TILC and the third-party investors of TRIP Holdings contributed $21.6 million and $49.6 million, respectively, net of expenses, to TRIP Holdings. These contributions, combined with additional secured borrowings, were used to purchase additional railcar equipment from TILC. At December 31, 2014, the Company's carrying value of its investment in TRIP Holdings and RIV 2013 totaled $229.1 million representing the Company's weighted average 39% ownership interest. The Company's investments in its partially-owned leasing subsidiaries are eliminated in consolidation.

See Note 11 Debt regarding the debt of TRIP Holdings and RIV 2013 and their respective subsidiaries.