1.0.0.3 false Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) (USD $) In Millions false 1 $ false false Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 false 2 $ false false Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 6 Current assets: 4 us-gaap_AssetsCurrentAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 7 Cash and cash equivalents 5 us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 true true 484000000 484 false false 2 true true 633000000 633 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 8 Accounts receivable, net 5 us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 815000000 815 false false 2 false true 847000000 847 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 9 Materials and supplies 5 bni_MaterialsAndSupplies bni false debit instant monetary Aggregate carrying amount, as of the balance sheet date, of unapplied materials and supplies to be used in the performance or... false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 534000000 534 false false 2 false true 525000000 525 false false Aggregate carrying amount, as of the balance sheet date, of unapplied materials and supplies to be used in the performance or support of carrier operations. No authoritative reference available. false 10 Current portion of deferred income taxes 5 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetCurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 409000000 409 false false 2 false true 442000000 442 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 11 Other current assets 5 us-gaap_OtherAssetsCurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 337000000 337 false false 2 false true 218000000 218 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 12 Total current assets 5 us-gaap_AssetsCurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 2579000000 2579 false false 2 false true 2665000000 2665 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 13 Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $10,214 and $9,912, respectively 4 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 31744000000 31744 false false 2 false true 30847000000 30847 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 14 Other assets 4 us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 3049000000 3049 false false 2 false true 2891000000 2891 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 15 Total assets 4 us-gaap_Assets us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 37372000000 37372 false false 2 false true 36403000000 36403 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 17 Current liabilities: 4 us-gaap_LiabilitiesCurrentAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 18 Accounts payable and other current liabilities 5 us-gaap_AccountsPayableAndAccruedLiabilities us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 2880000000 2880 false false 2 false true 3190000000 3190 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 19 Long-term debt due within one year 5 us-gaap_LongTermDebtAndCapitalLeaseObligationsCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 555000000 555 false false 2 false true 456000000 456 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 20 Total current liabilities 5 us-gaap_LiabilitiesCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 3435000000 3435 false false 2 false true 3646000000 3646 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 21 Long-term debt 4 us-gaap_LongTermDebtAndCapitalLeaseObligations us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 9283000000 9283 false false 2 false true 9099000000 9099 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 22 Deferred income taxes 4 us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesNoncurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 8992000000 8992 false false 2 false true 8590000000 8590 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 23 Pension and retiree health and welfare liability 4 us-gaap_PensionAndOtherPostretirementDefinedBenefitPlansNoncurrentLiabilities us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 1020000000 1020 false false 2 false true 1047000000 1047 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 24 Casualty and environmental liabilities 4 bni_CasualtyAndEnvironmentalLiabilities bni false credit instant monetary Noncurrent portion of costs accrued as of the balance sheet date for casualty, environmental and other loss contingencies. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 949000000 949 false false 2 false true 959000000 959 false false Noncurrent portion of costs accrued as of the balance sheet date for casualty, environmental and other loss contingencies. No authoritative reference available. false 25 Employee separation costs 4 bni_EmployeeSeparationCosts bni false credit instant monetary Noncurrent portion of liabilities representing deferred benefits payable upon separation or retirement of certain active... false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 65000000 65 false false 2 false true 57000000 57 false false Noncurrent portion of liabilities representing deferred benefits payable upon separation or retirement of certain active employees incurred in connection with labor agreements reached prior to a business combination and severance costs for certain union and non union employees. No authoritative reference available. false 26 Other liabilities 4 us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 1777000000 1777 false false 2 false true 1874000000 1874 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 27 Total liabilities 4 us-gaap_Liabilities us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 25521000000 25521 false false 2 false true 25272000000 25272 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 29 Stockholders' equity: 4 us-gaap_StockholdersEquityAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 30 Common stock, $0.01 par value, 600,000 shares authorized; 542,586 shares and 541,346 shares issued, respectively (shares in thousands) 5 us-gaap_CommonStockValue us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 5000000 5 false false 2 false true 5000000 5 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 31 Additional paid-in capital 5 us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapital us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 7676000000 7676 false false 2 false true 7631000000 7631 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 32 Retained earnings 5 us-gaap_RetainedEarningsAccumulatedDeficit us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 13190000000 13190 false false 2 false true 12764000000 12764 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 33 Treasury stock, at cost, 202,567 shares and 202,165 shares, respectively (shares in thousands) 5 us-gaap_TreasuryStockValue us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -8419000000 -8419 false false 2 false true -8395000000 -8395 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 34 Accumulated other comprehensive loss 5 us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -601000000 -601 false false 2 false true -874000000 -874 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 35 Total stockholders' equity 5 us-gaap_StockholdersEquity us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 11851000000 11851 false false 2 false true 11131000000 11131 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 36 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity 4 us-gaap_LiabilitiesAndStockholdersEquity us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 true true 37372000000 37372 false false 2 true true 36403000000 36403 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true false 2 29 false Millions UnKnown UnKnown false true