Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 83,743	$ 32,319
Accounts receivable, net	379,939	363,923
Materials and supplies	60,438	43,621
Prepaid expenses and other	37,131	45,475
Total current assets	561,251	485,338
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, net	4,590,740	4,503,319
GOODWILL	1,176,181	1,125,596
INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net	1,564,542	1,472,376
DEFERRED INCOME TAX ASSETS, net	2,772	2,671
OTHER ASSETS, net	40,444	45,658
Total assets	7,935,930	7,634,958
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Current portion of long-term debt	34,663	52,538
Accounts payable	255,097	266,867
Accrued expenses	155,645	159,705
Total current liabilities	445,405	479,110
LONG-TERM DEBT, less current portion	2,398,070	2,306,915
DEFERRED INCOME TAX LIABILITIES, net	1,228,393	1,162,221
DEFERRED ITEMS - grants from outside parties	308,946	301,383
OTHER LONG-TERM LIABILITIES	216,546	198,208
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
EQUITY:
Additional paid-in capital	1,666,147	1,651,703
Retained earnings	1,758,058	1,685,813
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(159,460)	(211,336)
Treasury stock, at cost	(235,602)	(232,348)
Total Genesee & Wyoming Inc. stockholders' equity	3,029,895	2,894,582
Noncontrolling interest	308,675	292,539
Total equity	3,338,570	3,187,121
Total liabilities and equity	7,935,930	7,634,958
Class A Common Stock, $0.01 par value, one vote per share; 180,000,000 shares authorized at June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016; 74,450,843 and 74,162,972 shares issued and 61,606,737 and 61,362,665 shares outstanding (net of 12,844,106 and 12,800,307 shares in treasury) on June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively
EQUITY:
Common Stock	745	742
Class B Common Stock, $0.01 par value, ten votes per share; 30,000,000 shares authorized at June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016; 728,138 and 758,138 shares issued and outstanding on June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively
EQUITY:
Common Stock	$ 7	$ 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).

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsPayableCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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.