Related Party Transactions (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended			0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended				3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended				3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012	Jan. 03, 2010 Axis [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Axis [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Related Party Parts Facility [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Related Party Parts Facility [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Related Party Parts Facility [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Related Party Parts Facility [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 ARI Headquarters Lease [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 ARI Headquarters Lease [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 ARI Headquarters Lease [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 ARI Headquarters Lease [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Term Loan and Credit Agreement [Member] Axis [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Term Loan and Credit Agreement [Member] Axis [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 ACF [Member] Manufacturing services agreement [Member] Maximum [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 ACF [Member] Manufacturing services agreement [Member] Maximum [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 ACF [Member] Manufacturing services agreement [Member] Maximum [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 ACF [Member] Manufacturing services agreement [Member] Maximum [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 ARL [Member] Railcar services agreement [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 ARL [Member] Railcar services agreement [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 ARL [Member] Railcar services agreement [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 ARL [Member] Railcar services agreement [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 ARL [Member] Railcar orders [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 ARL [Member] Railcar orders [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 ARL [Member] Railcar management agreement [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 ARL [Member] Railcar management agreement [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 ARL [Member] Railcar management agreement [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 ARL [Member] Railcar management agreement [Member]	Apr. 03, 2009 Other Related Party [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 M.W. Recycling [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 M.W. Recycling [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 M.W. Recycling [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 M.W. Recycling [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Joint Ventures [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Joint Ventures [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Joint Ventures [Member] Cost of Goods Sold [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Joint Ventures [Member] Cost of Goods Sold [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Joint Ventures [Member] Cost of Goods Sold [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Joint Ventures [Member] Cost of Goods Sold [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 AEP [Member] Railcar orders [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 AEP [Member] Railcar orders [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Insight Portfolio [Member] Maximum [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Insight Portfolio [Member] Maximum [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Purchasing and Engineering Services Agreement [Member] ACF [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Purchasing and Engineering Services Agreement [Member] ACF [Member]
Related Party Transactions (Textual) [Abstract]
Component purchases from ACF																		$ 100,000	$ 100,000	$ 100,000	$ 100,000
Percentage of consideration under agreement																																															30.00%	30.00%
Term of agreement						1 year
Notes receivable																34,400,000	35,700,000
Expense with related parties								100,000	100,000	200,000	200,000	100,000	100,000	300,000	300,000													0	0	200,000	0								21,700,000	26,200,000	40,100,000	49,500,000			100,000	100,000
Railcar leasing cost of revenues	3,301,000	1,601,000	6,205,000	2,342,000																								500,000	500,000	1,000,000	700,000
Annual director fee																																65,000
Revenue from related parties						300,000																4,600,000	5,800,000	9,200,000	11,000,000	10,900,000	10,900,000						1,600,000	2,300,000	3,300,000	5,100,000							16,700,000	79,500,000			3,200,000	3,400,000
Company's Interest in credit facility							50.00%
Total inventories, net	$ 92,988,000		$ 92,988,000		$ 110,075,000																																$ 6,600,000	$ 3,300,000