Debt And Capital Lease Obligations (Narrative) (Details)				9 Months Ended
	Oct. 02, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Mar. 28, 2013 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) item loan	Oct. 22, 2015 USD ($)	Jan. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Mar. 27, 2013 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Net book value				$ 1,740,878,000			$ 1,564,777,000
Restricted cash				7,467,000			$ 8,232,000
Rail Cars [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Net book value				$ 176,600,000
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument maturity date				Mar. 15, 2020
Average interest rate				1.70%			1.90%
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Equipment [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Net book value				$ 752,400,000
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | CAI Rail [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maturity date				Oct. 22, 2020
Maximum credit commitment				$ 250,000,000
Maximum credit commitment increase amount				325,000,000
Available borrowing capacity				115,000,000
Available borrowing capacity based on borrowing base and collateral requirements				3,600,000
Net book value				$ 173,300,000
Debt instrument maturity date				Jul. 01, 2019
Average interest rate				2.00%			1.90%
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Consortium of Banks [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maturity date				Mar. 15, 2020
Maximum credit commitment				$ 775,000,000		$ 760,000,000
Maximum credit commitment increase amount				960,000,000
Available borrowing capacity				277,800,000
Available borrowing capacity based on borrowing base and collateral requirements				126,200,000
Swing Line Loans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum credit commitment				$ 10,000,000
Maximum number of business days short term borrowings payable				10 days
Standby Letters Of Credit [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum credit commitment				$ 15,000,000
Short Term Line Of Credit [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maturity date				May 08, 2016
Maximum credit commitment				$ 75,000,000
Short term line of credit drawn				75,000,000
Short term line of credit paid down				$ 75,000,000
Debt instrument maturity date				May 08, 2016
Average interest rate				1.50%			1.50%
Fixed interest rate				1.50%
Letters Of Credit [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Letters of credit outstanding				$ 100,000
Series 2012-1 Asset-Backed Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of loan				$ 171,000,000
Debt instrument maturity date				Oct. 01, 2027
Amount outstanding under the facility				$ 121,100,000
Fixed interest rate				3.47%
Series 2013-1 Asset-Backed Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of loan				$ 229,000,000
Debt instrument maturity date				Mar. 01, 2028
Amount outstanding under the facility				$ 171,800,000
Fixed interest rate				3.35%
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Net book value				$ 78,200,000
Term Loan [Member] | Rental Equipment [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Net book value				336,600,000
Term Loan [Member] | Development Bank of Japan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of loan				$ 30,000,000
Term of loan				5 years
Number of quarterly installments | item				19
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment, Principal				$ 500,000
Debt instrument final payment				$ 21,500,000
Debt instrument maturity date				Apr. 30, 2018
Amount outstanding under the facility				$ 26,000,000
Proceeds used to repay credit facility				$ 500,000
Average interest rate				2.30%			2.20%
Term Loan [Member] | Consortium of Banks [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment, Principal			$ 124,400,000
Debt instrument maturity date				Oct. 01, 2019
Amount outstanding under the facility			125,000,000					$ 249,400,000
Proceeds used to repay credit facility			124,400,000
Average interest rate				1.90%			1.80%
Term Loan [Member] | Consortium of Banks, Note Dated October 1, 2014 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum credit commitment		$ 115,000,000		$ 150,000,000
Debt instrument maturity date				Oct. 01, 2019
Amount outstanding under the facility				$ 141,000,000
Term Loan [Member] | Consortium of Banks, Note Dated April 11, 2012 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum credit commitment				142,000,000
Maximum credit commitment increase amount				$ 200,000,000
Term of loan				5 years
Debt instrument maturity date				Apr. 11, 2017
Amount outstanding under the facility				$ 111,900,000
Quarterly payments specified as percentage of drawn amount				1.75%
Average interest rate				1.90%			1.90%
Term Loan [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] | Consortium of Banks, Note Dated October 1, 2014 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate		2.25%		1.60%
Term Loan [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument maturity date				Jun. 01, 2019
Number of loans | loan				2
Long-term debt				$ 8,000,000
Average interest rate				2.60%			2.60%
Term Loan [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Rental Equipment [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Net book value				$ 17,900,000
Senior Secured Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument maturity date				Sep. 13, 2022
Amount outstanding under the facility				$ 78,300,000
Long-term debt				$ 103,000,000
Average interest rate				4.90%			4.90%
Minimum percentage of aggregate principal to prepay				10.00%
Senior Secured Notes [Member] | Rental Equipment [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Net book value				$ 103,500,000
Asset Backed Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument maturity date				Mar. 01, 2028
Proceeds used for working capital purposes			$ 229,000,000
Average interest rate				3.40%			3.40%
Asset Backed Notes [Member] | Rental Equipment [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Net book value				$ 364,200,000
Collateralized Financing Obligations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument maturity date				Jun. 01, 2019
Long-term debt				$ 123,800,000
Average interest rate				0.70%			0.80%
Average fixed and floating interest rates				0.70%
Maturity date range start				Dec. 01, 2015
Maturity date range end				Jun. 01, 2019
Amortizing Term Loan [Member] | Consortium of Banks [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum credit commitment				$ 300,000,000
Term of loan				6 years
Amortizing Term Loan [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Term of loan				5 years
Long-term debt				$ 9,200,000
Fixed interest rate				2.70%
Non-Amortizing Term Loan [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Term of loan				5 years
Long-term debt				$ 1,600,000
Capital Lease Obligations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Average fixed and floating interest rates				2.80%
Maturity date range start				Dec. 01, 2015
Maturity date range end				Mar. 01, 2016
Capital lease obligations				$ 100,000
Capital Lease Obligations [Member] | Dry Containers [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Net book value				$ 100,000
Subsequent Event [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | CAI Rail [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum credit commitment					$ 500,000,000
Maximum credit commitment increase amount					$ 700,000,000
Subsequent Event [Member] | Short Term Line Of Credit [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Short term line of credit drawn	$ 75,000,000