Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 38,265	$ 32,319
Accounts receivable, net	354,925	363,923
Materials and supplies	46,811	43,621
Prepaid expenses and other	48,265	45,475
Total current assets	488,266	485,338
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, net	4,531,419	4,503,319
GOODWILL	1,149,582	1,125,596
INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net	1,495,358	1,472,376
DEFERRED INCOME TAX ASSETS, net	2,547	2,671
OTHER ASSETS, net	43,439	45,658
Total assets	7,710,611	7,634,958
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current portion of long-term debt	49,004	52,538
Accounts payable	254,820	266,867
Accrued expenses	145,396	159,705
Total current liabilities	449,220	479,110
LONG-TERM DEBT, less current portion	2,305,753	2,306,915
DEFERRED INCOME TAX LIABILITIES, net	1,190,655	1,162,221
DEFERRED ITEMS - grants from outside parties	301,244	301,383
OTHER LONG-TERM LIABILITIES	209,894	198,208
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
EQUITY:
Additional paid-in capital	1,658,465	1,651,703
Retained earnings	1,712,051	1,685,813
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(187,505)	(211,336)
Treasury stock, at cost	(235,510)	(232,348)
Total Genesee & Wyoming Inc. stockholders' equity	2,948,252	2,894,582
Noncontrolling interest	305,593	292,539
Total equity	3,253,845	3,187,121
Total liabilities and equity	7,710,611	7,634,958
Class A Common Stock, $0.01 par value, one vote per share; 180,000,000 shares authorized at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016; 74,348,967 and 74,162,972 shares issued and 61,505,278 and 61,362,665 shares outstanding (net of 12,843,689 and 12,800,307 shares in treasury) on March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively
EQUITY:
Common Stock	743	742
Class B Common Stock, $0.01 par value, ten votes per share; 30,000,000 shares authorized at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016; 758,138 shares issued and outstanding on March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016
EQUITY:
Common Stock	$ 8	$ 8

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of liabilities incurred (and for which invoices have typically been received) and payable to vendors for goods and services received that are used in an entity's business. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

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

- Definition

Amount due from customers or clients, within one year of the balance sheet date (or the normal operating cycle, whichever is longer), for goods or services (including trade receivables) that have been delivered or sold in the normal course of business, reduced to the estimated net realizable fair value by an allowance established by the entity of the amount it deems uncertain of collection.