Borrowing under revolving credit facility exclusive of letters of credit.

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Debt instrument convertible option if converted value in excess of principal.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Debt instrument interest rate features.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Debt Instrument Loan Agreement Amount.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	trn
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Debt instrument maximum borrowing capacity.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	trn
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Debt instrument remaining borrowing capacity.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	trn
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Debt Instruments Convertible Conversion Price.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	trn
Data Type:	us-types:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Yield to call features of debt instrument.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Debt.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Letter Of Credit Maturing Current Year.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	trn
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Portion of debt instrument purchased by parent company.

+ Details

Name:	trn_PortionOfDebtInstrumentPurchasedByParentCompany
Namespace Prefix:	trn
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Subsidiary Warehouse Facility.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	trn
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of shares issued in exchange for the original debt being converted in a noncash (or part noncash) transaction. "Part noncash" refers to that portion of the transaction not resulting in cash receipts or cash payments in the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 95
-Paragraph 32

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The stated principal amount of the debt instrument at time of issuance, which may vary from the carrying amount because of unamortized premium or discount.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher AICPA
-Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB)
-Number 21
-Paragraph 16, 20

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The effective interest rate at the end of the reporting period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 22
-Article 5

+ Details

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Data Type:	us-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Effective interest rate for the funds borrowed under the debt agreement considering interest compounding and original issue discount or premium.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 22
-Article 5

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	us-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Interest rate stated in the contractual debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 22
-Article 5

+ Details

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Data Type:	us-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of outstanding principal due under the debt instrument at the end of the reporting period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 22
-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name FASB Staff Position (FSP)
-Number APB14-1
-Paragraph 31
-Subparagraph b

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of current borrowing capacity under the credit facility considering any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed (for example, borrowings may be limited by the amount of current assets), but without considering any amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 19, 22
-Article 5

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Description of the interest rate for the amounts borrowed under the credit facility, including the terms and the method for determining the interest rate (for example, fixed or variable, LIBOR plus a percentage, increasing rate, timing of interest rate resets, remarketing provisions).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 129
-Paragraph 2, 4

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 19, 22
-Article 5

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of borrowing capacity currently available under the credit facility (current borrowing capacity less the amount of borrowings outstanding).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 19, 22
-Article 5

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Debt (Details Textuals) (USD $)	6 Months Ended
Debt (Details Textuals) (USD $)	Jun. 30, 2011	Jul. 06, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011 TILC Warehouse Facility Non Recourse Leasing [Member]	Jul. 06, 2011 TRIP Holdings senior secured notes [Member]	Jul. 06, 2011 TRIP Master Funding secured railcar equipment notes [Member]	Jul. 06, 2011 TRIP Master Funding Secured Railcar Equipment Class A-1a Notes [Member]	Jul. 06, 2011 TRIP Master Funding Secured Railcar Equipment Class A-1b Notes [Member]	Jul. 06, 2011 TRIP Master Funding Secured Railcar Equipment Class A-2 Notes [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 TRIP Holdings Warehouse Loan Non Recourse Leasing [Member]	Jun. 30, 2007 TRIP Holdings Warehouse Loan Non Recourse Leasing [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member]
Debt (Textuals) [Abstract]
Revolving credit facility	$ 425,000,000
Used revolving credit facility for letter of credit	83,600,000
Availability of the revolving credit facility	341,400,000
Borrowing under revolving credit facility exclusive of letters of credit	0
Letter of credit maturing current year	8,700,000
Interest rates on the revolving credit facility	prime or LIBOR plus 75.0 basis points
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage				8.00%							3.875%
Capital in excess of par value related to the convertible subordinated notes' conversion options											92,800,000	92,800,000
Effective annual interest rate based upon the estimated market interest rate											8.42%
Conversion price of convertible subordinated notes											$ 51.52
Number of shares issuable in exchange of Convertible Subordinated Notes											8,734,472
TILC warehouse loan facility			475,000,000
TILC warehouse facility			130,000,000
Available TILC warehouse loan facility			345,000,000
Interest at a defined index rate plus a margin for advances under the facility			2.20%
Trinity portion of the TRIP Holdings Senior Secured Notes		112,000,000
TRIP warehouse loan agreement										1,190,000,000
TRIP warehouse loan outstanding									963,300,000
Debt Instrument, Face Amount				$ 175,000,000	$ 857,000,000
Debt Instrument, Yield to call features		payable quarterly with a yield to call interest rate of 12.00% for redemptions or other prepayments on or prior to January 15, 2013 and 15.00% for redemptions or other prepayments after such date.
Debt instrument interest rate features						bearing interest at 4.37%, payable monthly	bearing interest at Libor plus 2.50%, payable monthly	bearing interest at 6.02%, payable monthly