Subsequent Events	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011
Subsequent Events
Subsequent Events [Text Block]	SUBSEQUENT EVENTS: Credit Agreement On July 29, 2011, the Company entered into the Third Amended and Restated Revolving Credit and Term Loan Agreement (the Credit Agreement). The Credit Agreement expanded the size of the Company's senior credit facility from $620.0 million to $750.0 million and extended the maturity date to July 29, 2016. The Credit Agreement includes a $425.0 million revolving loan, a $200.0 million United States term loan, a A$92.2 million ($100.0 million at the July 29, 2011 exchange rate) Australian term loan and a C$23.6 million ($25.0 million at the July 29, 2011 exchange rate) Canadian term loan. The Credit Agreement allows for borrowings in United States dollars, Australian dollars, Canadian dollars and Euros. The Credit Agreement and revolving loans are guaranteed by substantially all of the United States subsidiaries for the United States guaranteed obligations and by substantially all of the Company's foreign subsidiaries for the foreign guaranteed obligations. The Credit Agreement contains customary representations and warranties, events of default and covenants, including, among other things, covenants that restrict the ability of the Company to incur certain additional indebtedness, create or permit liens on assets and engage in mergers or consolidations. The Credit Agreement also contains financial covenants restricting the Company's funded debt to EBITDAR ratio and the Company's consolidated EBITDA to consolidated total interest expense ratio. The proceeds of the senior credit facilities will be used for working capital, capital expenditures, investments permitted under the Credit Agreement, acquisitions permitted under the Credit Agreement, other lawful general corporate purposes and to refinance existing indebtedness. Acquisition On August 2, 2011, the Company announced that it signed an agreement to acquire all of the capital stock of Arizona Eastern Railway Company (AZER) for approximately $90.1 million in cash. The acquisition is expected to close during the third quarter of 2011. Headquartered near Miami, Arizona, with 45 employees and 10 locomotives, AZER is composed of two rail lines operating over 200 track miles in southeast Arizona and southwest New Mexico that are connected by 52 miles of trackage rights over the Union Pacific Railroad. The largest customer on AZER is Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., the world's largest publicly traded copper producer. In connection with the acquisition of AZER, each party will make an election under Section 338(h)10 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The acquisition of AZER is expected to be immediately accretive to GWI's earnings per share. The acquisition will be subject to customary closing conditions and includes certain adjustments for closing date working capital and indebtedness of AZER. AZER primarily provides rail service to Freeport-McMoRan's largest North American copper mine and its North American smelter, hauling copper concentrate, copper anode, copper rod and sulfuric acid. In conjunction with the transaction, AZER and Freeport-McMoRan have entered into a long term agreement. AZER also serves other local customers.

SUBSEQUENT EVENTS:

Credit Agreement

On July 29, 2011, the Company entered into the Third Amended and Restated Revolving Credit and Term Loan Agreement (the Credit Agreement). The Credit Agreement expanded the size of the Company's senior credit facility from $620.0 million to $750.0 million and extended the maturity date to July 29, 2016. The Credit Agreement includes a $425.0 million revolving loan, a $200.0 million United States term loan, a A$92.2 million ($100.0 million at the July 29, 2011 exchange rate) Australian term loan and a C$23.6 million ($25.0 million at the July 29, 2011 exchange rate) Canadian term loan. The Credit Agreement allows for borrowings in United States dollars, Australian dollars, Canadian dollars and Euros. The Credit Agreement and revolving loans are guaranteed by substantially all of the United States subsidiaries for the United States guaranteed obligations and by substantially all of the Company's foreign subsidiaries for the foreign guaranteed obligations.

The Credit Agreement contains customary representations and warranties, events of default and covenants, including, among other things, covenants that restrict the ability of the Company to incur certain additional indebtedness, create or permit liens on assets and engage in mergers or consolidations. The Credit Agreement also contains financial covenants restricting the Company's funded debt to EBITDAR ratio and the Company's consolidated EBITDA to consolidated total interest expense ratio.

The proceeds of the senior credit facilities will be used for working capital, capital expenditures, investments permitted under the Credit Agreement, acquisitions permitted under the Credit Agreement, other lawful general corporate purposes and to refinance existing indebtedness.

Acquisition

On August 2, 2011, the Company announced that it signed an agreement to acquire all of the capital stock of Arizona Eastern Railway Company (AZER) for approximately $90.1 million in cash. The acquisition is expected to close during the third quarter of 2011. Headquartered near Miami, Arizona, with 45 employees and 10 locomotives, AZER is composed of two rail lines operating over 200 track miles in southeast Arizona and southwest New Mexico that are connected by 52 miles of trackage rights over the Union Pacific Railroad. The largest customer on AZER is Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., the world's largest publicly traded copper producer. In connection with the acquisition of AZER, each party will make an election under Section 338(h)10 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The acquisition of AZER is expected to be immediately accretive to GWI's earnings per share. The acquisition will be subject to customary closing conditions and includes certain adjustments for closing date working capital and indebtedness of AZER.

AZER primarily provides rail service to Freeport-McMoRan's largest North American copper mine and its North American smelter, hauling copper concentrate, copper anode, copper rod and sulfuric acid. In conjunction with the transaction, AZER and Freeport-McMoRan have entered into a long term agreement. AZER also serves other local customers.