2.4.0.82111100 - Disclosure - Accounting Pronouncementstruefalsefalse1false falsefalseD2013Q2YTDhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000934612duration2013-01-01T00:00:002013-06-30T00:00:001true 1us-gaap_NewAccountingPronouncementsAndChangesInAccountingPrinciplesAbstractus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringfalse0New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Abstract]2false 2us-gaap_NewAccountingPronouncementsAndChangesInAccountingPrinciplesTextBlockus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboseLabel1falsefalsefalse00<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">Accounting Pronouncements</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;text-indent:48px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">In February 2013, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2013-02 (ASU 2013-02), </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;">Comprehensive Income (Topic 220),</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"> </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;">Reporting Amounts Classified Out of Comprehensive Income</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">. This standard requires issuers to present the effects of reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income on the components of net income and other comprehensive income for all periods presented. This reclassification may be presented either on the face of the financial statements where net income is presented or in the notes. ASU 2013-02 is effective prospectively for the Company for the period beginning on January 1, 2013. The Company has included the appropriate disclosures related to other comprehensive loss reclassifications in accordance with ASU 2013-02 </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">in Note 10.</font></div></div>falsefalsefalsenonnum:textBlockItemTypenaThe entire disclosure of changes in accounting principles, including adoption of new accounting pronouncements, that describes the new methods, amount and effects on financial statement line items.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 01 -Paragraph b -Subparagraph 6 -Article 10 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 270 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 13 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6372559&loc=d3e765-108305 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 270 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 12 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6372559&loc=d3e725-108305 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 250 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28359718&loc=d3e22499-107794 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 250 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28359718&loc=d3e22580-107794 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Direct Effects of a Change in Accounting Principle -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6510796 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Indirect Effects of a Change in Accounting Principle -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6515603 Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Accounting Change -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6503790 Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Change in Accounting Principle -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6507316 Reference 10: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 270 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.10-01.(b)(6)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27015980&loc=d3e46468-122699 Reference 11: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Retrospective Application -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6523989 Reference 12: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 250 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28359718&loc=d3e22583-107794 false0Accounting PronouncementsfalseAccounting PronouncementsUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownUnKnowntruefalsefalseSheethttp://www.bnsf.com/role/AccountingPronouncements12