Commitments and Contingencies - Personal Injury (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified					9 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended					3 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2014 Unasserted Claim	Sep. 30, 2014 Personal Injury	Sep. 30, 2013 Personal Injury	Sep. 30, 2014 Personal Injury	Sep. 30, 2013 Personal Injury	Sep. 30, 2014 Bank Time Deposits and Money Market Funds BNSF Insurance Company	Dec. 31, 2013 Bank Time Deposits and Money Market Funds BNSF Insurance Company	Sep. 30, 2014 Current Liabilities [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Asbestos Issue [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Decrease in personal injury expense													$ 2
Asbestos and Personal Injury [Abstract]
Percent of future unasserted asbestos claims to be filed within the next ten years					60.00%
Percent of future unasserted asbestos claims to be filed within the next fifteen years					80.00%
Percent of future unasserted asbestos claims to be filed within the next twenty-five years					95.00%
Length in years for 60 percent of future unasserted asbestos claims to be filed					10 years
Length in years for 80 percent of future unasserted asbestos claims to be filed					15 years
Length in years for 95 percent of future unasserted asbestos claims to be filed					25 years
Accrued obligations for asbestos and other personal injury matters, current liabilities												85
Future costs to settle personal injury claims, minimum						345		345
Future costs to settle personal injury claims, maximum						455		455
Loss Contingency Accrual [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance						385	467	387	462
Accruals						17	22	53	77
Payments						(14)	(20)	(52)	(70)
Ending balance						388	469	388	469
Cash and Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 2,470	$ 2,225	$ 2,809	$ 1,794						$ 475	$ 480