New Accounting Pronouncements	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017
New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Abstract]
New Accounting Pronouncements	New Accounting Pronouncements In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which requires companies to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration it expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The new standard will become effective for the Company beginning with the first quarter 2018 and the Company plans to adopt the accounting standard using the modified retrospective transition approach. The modified retrospective transition approach will recognize any changes from the beginning of the year of initial application through retained earnings with no restatement of comparative periods. The Company has substantially completed a review of the likely impacts of the application of the new standard to its existing portfolio of customer contracts. Under the new standard, the Company will continue to recognize freight revenue proportionally as a shipment moves from origin to destination. Furthermore, the Company will be required to assess variable consideration included in its contracts and make judgments and estimates throughout the applicable periods. Certain additional financial statement disclosure requirements are mandated by the new standard including disclosure of contract assets and contract liabilities as well as a disaggregated view of revenue, which the Company expects to be similar to the current disclosures within the “Results of Operations” for revenues section of Item 2, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” Based on the Company’s review, the adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases, which requires lessees to recognize for all leases a right-to-use asset and a lease obligation in the Consolidated Balance Sheet. Expenses are recognized in the Consolidated Statement of Income in a manner similar to current accounting guidance. Lessees are permitted to make an accounting policy election to not recognize an asset and liability for leases with a term of twelve months or less. Lessor accounting under the new standard is substantially unchanged. Additional qualitative and quantitative disclosures, including significant judgments made by management, will be required. The new standard will become effective for the Company beginning with the first quarter 2019 and requires a modified retrospective transition approach. The Company has created a cross functional team to develop an implementation plan for the new standard and is assessing contractual arrangements that may qualify as a lease under the new standard. The Company has selected a lease management system and is progressing towards implementation. At December 31, 2016, KCS disclosed approximately $300 million of operating leases in the contractual obligations table in the Company’s most recent Form 10-K and will evaluate those contracts as well as other existing arrangements to determine if they qualify for lease accounting under the new standard. The Company is continuing to evaluate the impacts the adoption of this accounting guidance will have on the consolidated financial statements.

New Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which requires companies to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration it expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The new standard will become effective for the Company beginning with the first quarter 2018 and the Company plans to adopt the accounting standard using the modified retrospective transition approach. The modified retrospective transition approach will recognize any changes from the beginning of the year of initial application through retained earnings with no restatement of comparative periods. The Company has substantially completed a review of the likely impacts of the application of the new standard to its existing portfolio of customer contracts. Under the new standard, the Company will continue to recognize freight revenue proportionally as a shipment moves from origin to destination. Furthermore, the Company will be required to assess variable consideration included in its contracts and make judgments and estimates throughout the applicable periods. Certain additional financial statement disclosure requirements are mandated by the new standard including disclosure of contract assets and contract liabilities as well as a disaggregated view of revenue, which the Company expects to be similar to the current disclosures within the “Results of Operations” for revenues section of Item 2, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” Based on the Company’s review, the adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases, which requires lessees to recognize for all leases a right-to-use asset and a lease obligation in the Consolidated Balance Sheet. Expenses are recognized in the Consolidated Statement of Income in a manner similar to current accounting guidance. Lessees are permitted to make an accounting policy election to not recognize an asset and liability for leases with a term of twelve months or less. Lessor accounting under the new standard is substantially unchanged. Additional qualitative and quantitative disclosures, including significant judgments made by management, will be required. The new standard will become effective for the Company beginning with the first quarter 2019 and requires a modified retrospective transition approach. The Company has created a cross functional team to develop an implementation plan for the new standard and is assessing contractual arrangements that may qualify as a lease under the new standard. The Company has selected a lease management system and is progressing towards implementation. At December 31, 2016, KCS disclosed approximately $300 million of operating leases in the contractual obligations table in the Company’s most recent Form 10-K and will evaluate those contracts as well as other existing arrangements to determine if they qualify for lease accounting under the new standard. The Company is continuing to evaluate the impacts the adoption of this accounting guidance will have on the consolidated financial statements.