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Length in Years for 80 Percent of Future Unasserted Asbestos Claims to be Filed

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Length in Years for 95 Percent of Future Unasserted Claims to be Filed

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Percent of Future Unasserted Asbestos Claims to be Filed Within the Next Fifteen Years

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Percent of Future Unasserted Asbestos Claims To be Filed Within the Next Ten Years

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Percent of Future Unasserted Asbestos Claims to be Filed Within the Next Twenty-five Years

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Percent of total cost of future asbestos claims

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Percent of total number of future asbestos claims

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Amount of currency on hand as well as demand deposits with banks or financial institutions. Includes other kinds of accounts that have the general characteristics of demand deposits. Also includes short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates. Excludes cash and cash equivalents within disposal group and discontinued operation.

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Amount of loss contingency liability.

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Amount of loss contingency liability expected to be resolved within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

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Amount of cash outflow reducing loss contingency liability.

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Amount charged against operating income increasing loss contingency liability, after adjustments to reduce previously estimated charges.

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A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

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Reflects the estimated amount of loss from the specified contingency as of the balance sheet date.

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The amount of loss pertaining to the specified contingency that was charged against earnings in the period, including the effects of revisions in previously reported estimates.

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Commitments and Contingencies Personal Injury (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Loss Contingency Accrual [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance				$ 135
Ending balance				125	$ 135
Cash and Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents				3,218	2,329	$ 2,384	$ 2,225
BNSF Insurance Company \| Commercial Paper, Bank Time Deposits, and Money Market Funds [Member]
Cash and Cash Equivalents [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents				$ 457	410
Asbestos Issue [Member]
Asbestos and Personal Injury [Abstract]
Increase (Decrease) in personal injury expense	$ 0	$ 5	$ (2)
Asbestos, non-malignant [Member]
Asbestos and Personal Injury [Abstract]
Percent of total number of future asbestos claims				80.00%
Percent of total cost of future asbestos claims				45.00%
Unasserted Claim
Asbestos and Personal Injury [Abstract]
Percent of future unasserted asbestos claims to be filed within the next ten years				65.00%
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 65 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 Claims to be Filed				25 years
Personal Injury
Loss Contingency Accrual [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance				$ 375	375	387
Accruals				80	81	61
Payments				(88)	(81)	(73)
Ending balance				367	375	$ 375
Personal Injury \| Minimum [Member]
Asbestos and Personal Injury [Abstract]
Future costs to settle claims and associated liability				325
Personal Injury \| Maximum [Member]
Asbestos and Personal Injury [Abstract]
Future costs to settle claims and associated liability				435
Personal Injury \| Current Liabilities [Member]
Asbestos and Personal Injury [Abstract]
Accrued obligations for asbestos and other personal injury matters, current liabilities				$ 85	$ 85