Debt (Details 2) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2011
Remaining principal payments under existing debt agreements
2012	$ 123.8
2013	225.0
2014	376.0
2015	114.5
2016	460.8
Thereafter	1,774.6
Manufacturing/Corporate Recourse [Member]
Remaining principal payments under existing debt agreements
2012	1.1
2013	1.2
2014	1.2
2015	0.2
2016	0.2
Thereafter	450.3
Leasing - capital lease obligations [Member]
Remaining principal payments under existing debt agreements
2012	2.8
2013	2.9
2014	3.1
2015	3.3
2016	3.5
Thereafter	33.0
Leasing - term loan [Member]
Remaining principal payments under existing debt agreements
2012	2.8
2013	3.0
2014	3.3
2015	3.5
2016	42.1
Thereafter	0
2006 secured railcar equipment notes [Member]
Remaining principal payments under existing debt agreements
2012	13.5
2013	15.1
2014	16.9
2015	18.6
2016	21.9
Thereafter	183.3
Promissory notes [Member]
Remaining principal payments under existing debt agreements
2012	31.2
2013	33.6
2014	30.4
2015	28.1
2016	342.2
Thereafter	0
2009 secured railcar equipment notes [Member]
Remaining principal payments under existing debt agreements
2012	9.2
2013	10.2
2014	9.9
2015	9.6
2016	6.5
Thereafter	173.0
2010 secured railcar equipment notes [Member]
Remaining principal payments under existing debt agreements
2012	12.8
2013	14.6
2014	14.0
2015	15.3
2016	15.0
Thereafter	282.6
TILC warehouse facility [Member]
Remaining principal payments under existing debt agreements
2012	9.4
2013	8.5
2014	4.6
2015	0
2016	0
Thereafter	0
TRIP Holdings senior secured notes - Total outstanding [Member]
Remaining principal payments under existing debt agreements
2012	0
2013	0
2014	170.0
2015	0
2016	0
Thereafter	0
TRIP Holdings senior secured notes - Less: owned by Trinity [Member]
Remaining principal payments under existing debt agreements
2012	0
2013	0
2014	(108.8)
2015	0
2016	0
Thereafter	0
TRIP Holdings senior secured notes [Member]
Remaining principal payments under existing debt agreements
2012	0
2013	0
2014	61.2
2015	0
2016	0
Thereafter	0
TRIP Master Funding secured railcar equipment notes [Member]
Remaining principal payments under existing debt agreements
2012	41.0
2013	41.1
2014	40.2
2015	35.9
2016	29.4
Thereafter	652.4
TILC warehouse facility - Termination Payments [Member]
Remaining principal payments under existing debt agreements
2012	0
2013	94.8
2014	191.2
2015	0
2016	0
Thereafter	$ 0

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Amount of long-term debt maturities after year five following the date of the latest balance sheet presented in the financial statements, which may include maturities of long-term debt, sinking fund requirements, and other securities redeemable at fixed of determinable prices and dates.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 47

-Paragraph 10

-Subparagraph b

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 470

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6802200&loc=d3e1835-112601

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Amount of long-term debt maturing within the next twelve months following the date of the latest balance sheet presented in the financial statements, which may include maturities of long-term debt, sinking fund requirements, and other securities redeemable at fixed or determinable prices and dates.

+ References

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Amount of long-term debt maturing in year five following the date of the latest balance sheet presented in the financial statements, which may include maturities of long-term debt, sinking fund requirements, and other securities redeemable at fixed of determinable prices and dates.

+ References

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Amount of long-term debt maturing in year four following the date of the latest balance sheet presented in the financial statements, which may include maturities of long-term debt, sinking fund requirements, and other securities redeemable at fixed of determinable prices and dates.

+ References

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Amount of long-term debt maturing in year three following the date of the latest balance sheet presented in the financial statements, which may include maturities of long-term debt, sinking fund requirements, and other securities redeemable at fixed of determinable prices and dates.

+ References

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