Debt (Schedule Of Debt) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Gross Debt, Current Outstanding	$ 316,622	$ 135,869
Gross Debt, Long-term Outstanding	1,862,757	1,578,666
Debt issuance costs, Current Outstanding	(5,241)	(3,820)
Debt issuance costs, Long-term Outstanding	(15,124)	(7,893)
Total Debt, Current Outstanding	311,381	132,049
Total Debt, Long-term Outstanding	1,847,633	1,570,773
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Gross Debt, Current Outstanding	4,200
Gross Debt, Long-term Outstanding	$ 301,000	$ 528,000
Average Interest	4.20%	3.20%
Maturity	Jun. 30, 2023
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | CAI Rail [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Gross Debt, Long-term Outstanding	$ 272,500	$ 272,000
Average Interest	4.20%	3.20%
Maturity	Oct. 23, 2023
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | CAI International GmbH [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Gross Debt, Long-term Outstanding	$ 19,457	$ 14,736
Average Interest	2.00%	2.00%
Maturity	Sep. 01, 2020
Term Loan [Member] | CAI Rail [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Gross Debt, Current Outstanding	$ 1,240	$ 1,198
Gross Debt, Long-term Outstanding	$ 15,284	$ 16,524
Average Interest	3.40%	3.40%
Maturity	Dec. 22, 2020
Term Loan [Member] | Development Bank of Japan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Gross Debt, Current Outstanding	$ 1,800	$ 21,900
Gross Debt, Long-term Outstanding	$ 27,300
Average Interest	4.50%	3.40%
Maturity	Apr. 30, 2023
Term Loan [Member] | Consortium of Banks, Note Dated October 1, 2014 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Gross Debt, Current Outstanding	$ 111,750	$ 9,000
Gross Debt, Long-term Outstanding		$ 111,750
Average Interest	3.80%	3.10%
Maturity	Oct. 01, 2019
Term Loan [Member] | Consortium of Banks, Note Dated April 11, 2012 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Gross Debt, Current Outstanding	$ 7,000	$ 7,000
Gross Debt, Long-term Outstanding	$ 75,500	$ 82,500
Average Interest	4.00%	3.30%
Maturity	Jun. 01, 2021
Term Loan [Member] | Consortium Of Banks Note Dated August 30 2016 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Gross Debt, Current Outstanding	$ 2,909	$ 2,805
Gross Debt, Long-term Outstanding	$ 40,651	$ 43,560
Average Interest	3.60%	3.60%
Maturity	Aug. 01, 2021
Senior Secured Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Gross Debt, Current Outstanding	$ 6,110	$ 6,110
Gross Debt, Long-term Outstanding	$ 52,775	$ 58,885
Average Interest	4.90%	4.90%
Maturity	Sep. 13, 2022
Asset Backed Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Average Interest	3.70%
Collateralized Financing Obligations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Gross Debt, Current Outstanding	$ 39,610	$ 22,549
Gross Debt, Long-term Outstanding	$ 67,615	$ 69,441
Average Interest	1.20%	1.20%
Maturity	Dec. 01, 2021
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total Debt, Current Outstanding	$ 41,066	$ 22,549
Total Debt, Long-term Outstanding	67,615	72,727
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] | Term Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Gross Debt, Current Outstanding	$ 1,456
Gross Debt, Long-term Outstanding		$ 3,286
Average Interest	3.30%	2.70%
Maturity	Jun. 01, 2019
Loan Agreement With Bank $100.0 Million [Member] | Term Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Gross Debt, Current Outstanding	$ 6,000
Gross Debt, Long-term Outstanding	$ 92,500
Average Interest	4.60%
Maturity	Oct. 01, 2023
Series 2012-1 Asset-Backed Notes [Member] | Asset Backed Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Gross Debt, Current Outstanding	$ 17,100	$ 17,100
Gross Debt, Long-term Outstanding	$ 48,450	$ 65,550
Average Interest	3.50%	3.50%
Maturity	Oct. 01, 2027
Series 2013-1 Asset-Backed Notes [Member] | Asset Backed Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Gross Debt, Current Outstanding	$ 22,900	$ 22,900
Gross Debt, Long-term Outstanding	$ 74,425	$ 97,325
Average Interest	3.40%	3.40%
Maturity	Mar. 01, 2028
Series 2017-1 Asset-Backed Notes [Member] | Asset Backed Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Gross Debt, Current Outstanding	$ 25,307	$ 25,307
Gross Debt, Long-term Outstanding	$ 189,802	$ 215,109
Average Interest	3.70%	3.70%
Maturity	Jun. 01, 2042
Series 2018-1 Asset-Backed Notes [Member] | Asset Backed Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Gross Debt, Current Outstanding	$ 34,890
Gross Debt, Long-term Outstanding	$ 284,935
Average Interest	4.00%
Maturity	Feb. 01, 2043
Series 2018-2 Asset-Backed Notes [Member] | Asset Backed Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Gross Debt, Current Outstanding	$ 34,350
Gross Debt, Long-term Outstanding	$ 300,563
Average Interest	4.40%
Maturity	Sep. 01, 2043