Notes Payable to Banks and Other Debt Obligations (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Notes payable to banks
Debt obligations, net of unamortized discount	76,945,000	189,936,000
Aggregate principal maturities of notes payable and other debt obligations
2013	51,700,000
2014	3,800,000
2015	16,100,000
2016	6,000,000
Thereafter	400,000
BoS Facility A
Notes payable to banks
Debt obligations, net of unamortized discount	29,991,000	86,579,000
Stated interest rate (as a percent)	0.25%	0.25%
Estimated fair value of debt		91,600,000
Unamortized discount	1,100,000	3,100,000
Euro-denominated debt
Notes payable to banks
Debt obligations, net of unamortized discount	0	13,200,000
BOS (USA) reducing note facility
Notes payable to banks
Term note maximum capacity	25,000,000
Bank of America loan facility
Notes payable to banks
Debt obligations, net of unamortized discount	16,194,000	49,228,000
Bank of America loan facility | LIBOR
Notes payable to banks
Variable rate basis	LIBOR	LIBOR
Interest rate added to alternate annual base rates (as a percent)	2.75%	2.75%
WFCF Credit Facility
Notes payable to banks
Debt obligations, net of unamortized discount	15,214,000	21,405,000
Maximum credit line	25,000,000	25,000,000
Unconditional limited guaranty obligation to WFCF for all of ABL's obligations	5,000,000	5,000,000
Interest rate (as a percent)	7.50%	7.50%
WFCF Credit Facility | LIBOR
Notes payable to banks
Variable rate basis	LIBOR	LIBOR
Interest rate added to alternate annual base rates (as a percent)	4.25%	4.25%
WFCF Credit Facility | Base rate
Notes payable to banks
Variable rate basis	Wells Fargo base rate	Wells Fargo base rate
Interest rate added to alternate annual base rates (as a percent)	4.25%	4.25%
U.S. portfolio entities
Notes payable to banks
Non-recourse bank note payable	4,712,000	18,113,000
Weighted average interest rate (as a percent)	4.30%	4.30%
U.S. portfolio entities | Maximum
Notes payable to banks
Interest rate (as a percent)	5.00%	5.00%
U.S. portfolio entities | Minimum
Notes payable to banks
Interest rate (as a percent)	3.00%	3.00%
Consolidated railroad subsidiaries | LIBOR
Notes payable to banks
Variable rate basis	LIBOR	LIBOR
Consolidated railroad subsidiaries | Prime rate
Notes payable to banks
Variable rate basis	Prime Rate	Prime Rate
Consolidated railroad subsidiaries | Maximum | LIBOR
Notes payable to banks
Interest rate added to alternate annual base rates (as a percent)	3.25%	3.25%
Consolidated railroad subsidiaries | Maximum | Prime rate
Notes payable to banks
Interest rate added to alternate annual base rates (as a percent)	1.50%	1.50%
Consolidated railroad subsidiaries | Minimum | LIBOR
Notes payable to banks
Interest rate added to alternate annual base rates (as a percent)	2.25%	2.25%
Consolidated railroad subsidiaries | Minimum | Prime rate
Notes payable to banks
Interest rate added to alternate annual base rates (as a percent)	0.50%	0.50%
Consolidated railroad subsidiaries, term loan
Notes payable to banks
Non-recourse bank note payable	3,094,000	3,531,000
Consolidated railroad subsidiaries, revolving facility
Notes payable to banks
Maximum credit line	1,000,000	1,000,000
Consolidated railroad subsidiaries, acquisition facility
Notes payable to banks
Non-recourse bank note payable	3,950,000	1,625,000
Maximum credit line	5,000,000	5,000,000
Real estate investment entity
Notes payable to banks
Non-recourse bank note payable		7,361,000
Stated interest rate (as a percent)		6.07%
Other notes and debt obligations
Notes payable to banks
Debt obligations, net of unamortized discount	1,790,000	2,094,000
FNBCT Loan Facility
Notes payable to banks
Debt obligations, net of unamortized discount	2,000,000
Maximum credit line	15,000,000
FNBCT Loan Facility | Minimum
Notes payable to banks
Interest rate (as a percent)	4.00%
FNBCT Loan Facility | Minimum | Prime rate
Notes payable to banks
Variable rate basis	WSJ prime rate