3.19.3.a.u2 html 223 446 1 true 61 0 false 4 false false R1.htm 0001000 - Document - Document and Entity Information Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/DocumentAndEntityInformation Document and Entity Information Cover 1 false false R2.htm 1001000 - Statement - Consolidated Statements of Income Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/ConsolidatedStatementsOfIncome Consolidated Statements of Income Statements 2 false false R3.htm 1002000 - Statement - Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/ConsolidatedStatementsOfComprehensiveIncome Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income Statements 3 false false R4.htm 1003000 - Statement - Consolidated Balance Sheets Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/ConsolidatedBalanceSheets Consolidated Balance Sheets Statements 4 false false R5.htm 1003501 - Statement - Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) (Parenthetical) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/ConsolidatedBalanceSheetsUnauditedParenthetical Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) (Parenthetical) Statements 5 false false R6.htm 1004000 - Statement - Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/ConsolidatedStatementsOfCashFlows Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows Statements 6 false false R7.htm 1005000 - Statement - Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/ConsolidatedStatementsOfChangesInEquity Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity Statements 7 false false R8.htm 2101100 - Disclosure - The Company Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/Company The Company Notes 8 false false R9.htm 2102100 - Disclosure - Significant Accounting Policies Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/SignificantAccountingPolicies Significant Accounting Policies Notes 9 false false R10.htm 2103100 - Disclosure - Accounting Pronouncements Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/AccountingPronouncements Accounting Pronouncements Notes 10 false false R11.htm 2104100 - Disclosure - Revenue from Contracts with Customers Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/RevenueFromContractsWithCustomers Revenue from Contracts with Customers Notes 11 false false R12.htm 2105100 - Disclosure - Income Taxes Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/IncomeTaxes Income Taxes Notes 12 false false R13.htm 2106100 - Disclosure - Accounts Receivable, Net Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/AccountsReceivableNet Accounts Receivable, Net Notes 13 false false R14.htm 2107100 - Disclosure - Property and Equipment, Net Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/PropertyAndEquipmentNet Property and Equipment, Net Notes 14 false false R15.htm 2108100 - Disclosure - Goodwill Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/Goodwill Goodwill Notes 15 false false R16.htm 2109100 - Disclosure - Leases Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/Leases Leases Notes 16 false false R17.htm 2110100 - Disclosure - Accounts Payable and Other Current Liabilities Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/AccountsPayableAndOtherCurrentLiabilities Accounts Payable and Other Current Liabilities Notes 17 false false R18.htm 2111100 - Disclosure - Debt Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/Debt Debt Notes 18 false false R19.htm 2112100 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/CommitmentsAndContingencies Commitments and Contingencies Notes 19 false false R20.htm 2113100 - Disclosure - Employment Benefit Plans Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/EmploymentBenefitPlans Employment Benefit Plans Notes 20 false false R21.htm 2114100 - Disclosure - Related Party Transactions Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/RelatedPartyTransactions Related Party Transactions Notes 21 false false R22.htm 2115100 - Disclosure - Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncome Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Notes 22 false false R23.htm 2116100 - Disclosure - Quarterly Financial Data - Unaudited Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/QuarterlyFinancialDataUnaudited Quarterly Financial Data - Unaudited Notes 23 false false R24.htm 2202201 - Disclosure - Significant Accounting Policies (Policies) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/SignificantAccountingPoliciesPolicies Significant Accounting Policies (Policies) Policies http://www.bnsf.com/role/SignificantAccountingPolicies 24 false false R25.htm 2304301 - Disclosure - Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Tables) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/RevenueFromContractsWithCustomersTables Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Tables) Tables http://www.bnsf.com/role/RevenueFromContractsWithCustomers 25 false false R26.htm 2305301 - Disclosure - Income Taxes (Tables) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/IncomeTaxesTables Income Taxes (Tables) Tables http://www.bnsf.com/role/IncomeTaxes 26 false false R27.htm 2307301 - Disclosure - Property and Equipment, Net (Tables) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/PropertyAndEquipmentNetTables Property and Equipment, Net (Tables) Tables http://www.bnsf.com/role/PropertyAndEquipmentNet 27 false false R28.htm 2309301 - Disclosure - Leases (Tables) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/LeasesTables Leases (Tables) Tables http://www.bnsf.com/role/Leases 28 false false R29.htm 2310301 - Disclosure - Accounts Payable and Other Current Liabilities (Tables) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/AccountsPayableAndOtherCurrentLiabilitiesTables Accounts Payable and Other Current Liabilities (Tables) Tables http://www.bnsf.com/role/AccountsPayableAndOtherCurrentLiabilities 29 false false R30.htm 2311301 - Disclosure - Debt (Tables) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/DebtTables Debt (Tables) Tables http://www.bnsf.com/role/Debt 30 false false R31.htm 2312301 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies (Tables) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/CommitmentsAndContingenciesTables Commitments and Contingencies (Tables) Tables http://www.bnsf.com/role/CommitmentsAndContingencies 31 false false R32.htm 2313301 - Disclosure - Employment Benefit Plans (Tables) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/EmploymentBenefitPlansTables Employment Benefit Plans (Tables) Tables http://www.bnsf.com/role/EmploymentBenefitPlans 32 false false R33.htm 2314301 - Disclosure - Related Party Transactions Related Party Transactions (Tables) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/RelatedPartyTransactionsRelatedPartyTransactionsTables Related Party Transactions Related Party Transactions (Tables) Tables 33 false false R34.htm 2315301 - Disclosure - Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Tables) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeTables Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Tables) Tables http://www.bnsf.com/role/AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncome 34 false false R35.htm 2316301 - Disclosure - Quarterly Financial Data - Unaudited (Tables) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/QuarterlyFinancialDataUnauditedTables Quarterly Financial Data - Unaudited (Tables) Tables http://www.bnsf.com/role/QuarterlyFinancialDataUnaudited 35 false false R36.htm 2401401 - Disclosure - The Company (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/CompanyDetails The Company (Details) Details http://www.bnsf.com/role/Company 36 false false R37.htm 2404402 - Disclosure - Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/RevenueFromContractsWithCustomersDetails Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Details) Details http://www.bnsf.com/role/RevenueFromContractsWithCustomersTables 37 false false R38.htm 2405402 - Disclosure - Income Tax Expense(Benefit) (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/IncomeTaxExpensebenefitDetails Income Tax Expense(Benefit) (Details) Details 38 false false R39.htm 2405403 - Disclosure - Reconciliation of Statutory and Effective Tax Rates (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/ReconciliationOfStatutoryAndEffectiveTaxRatesDetails Reconciliation of Statutory and Effective Tax Rates (Details) Details 39 false false R40.htm 2405404 - Disclosure - Components of Deferred Tax Assets / (Liabilities) (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/ComponentsOfDeferredTaxAssetsLiabilitiesDetails Components of Deferred Tax Assets / (Liabilities) (Details) Details 40 false false R41.htm 2405405 - Disclosure - Income Taxes Narrative (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/IncomeTaxesNarrativeDetails Income Taxes Narrative (Details) Details 41 false false R42.htm 2405406 - Disclosure - Uncertain Tax Positions (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/UncertainTaxPositionsDetails Uncertain Tax Positions (Details) Details 42 false false R43.htm 2406401 - Disclosure - Accounts Receivable, Net (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/AccountsReceivableNetDetails Accounts Receivable, Net (Details) Details http://www.bnsf.com/role/AccountsReceivableNet 43 false false R44.htm 2407402 - Disclosure - Property and Equipment, Net (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/PropertyAndEquipmentNetDetails Property and Equipment, Net (Details) Details http://www.bnsf.com/role/PropertyAndEquipmentNetTables 44 false false R45.htm 2408401 - Disclosure - Goodwill Impairment and Carrying Value (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/GoodwillImpairmentAndCarryingValueDetails Goodwill Impairment and Carrying Value (Details) Details 45 false false R46.htm 2409402 - Disclosure - Lease Cost (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/LeaseCostDetails Lease Cost (Details) Details 46 false false R47.htm 2409403 - Disclosure - Assets and Liabilities (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/AssetsAndLiabilitiesDetails Assets and Liabilities (Details) Details 47 false false R48.htm 2409404 - Disclosure - Supplemental Cash Flow Information (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/SupplementalCashFlowInformationDetails Supplemental Cash Flow Information (Details) Details 48 false false R49.htm 2409405 - Disclosure - Other Information (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/OtherInformationDetails Other Information (Details) Details 49 false false R50.htm 2409406 - Disclosure - Maturities of Lease Liabilities (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/MaturitiesOfLeaseLiabilitiesDetails Maturities of Lease Liabilities (Details) Details 50 false false R51.htm 2410402 - Disclosure - Accounts Payable and Other Current Liabilities (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/AccountsPayableAndOtherCurrentLiabilitiesDetails Accounts Payable and Other Current Liabilities (Details) Details http://www.bnsf.com/role/AccountsPayableAndOtherCurrentLiabilitiesTables 51 false false R52.htm 2411402 - Disclosure - Debt Outstanding (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/DebtOutstandingDetails Debt Outstanding (Details) Details 52 false false R53.htm 2411403 - Disclosure - Notes and Debentures Narrative (Details) Notes http://www.bnsf.com/role/NotesAndDebenturesNarrativeDetails Notes and Debentures Narrative (Details) Details 53 false false R54.htm 2411404 - Disclosure - Debt Obligation Maturities (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/DebtObligationMaturitiesDetails Debt Obligation Maturities (Details) Details 54 false false R55.htm 2411405 - Disclosure - Guarantees (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/GuaranteesDetails Guarantees (Details) Details 55 false false R56.htm 2412402 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies Personal Injury (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/CommitmentsAndContingenciesPersonalInjuryDetails Commitments and Contingencies Personal Injury (Details) Details 56 false false R57.htm 2412403 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies Environmental (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/CommitmentsAndContingenciesEnvironmentalDetails Commitments and Contingencies Environmental (Details) Details 57 false false R58.htm 2412404 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies BNSF Insurance Company (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/CommitmentsAndContingenciesBnsfInsuranceCompanyDetails Commitments and Contingencies BNSF Insurance Company (Details) Details 58 false false R59.htm 2413402 - Disclosure - Employment Benefit Plans Net Cost (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/EmploymentBenefitPlansNetCostDetails Employment Benefit Plans Net Cost (Details) Details 59 false false R60.htm 2413403 - Disclosure - Employment Benefit Plans Change in Benefit Obligation (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/EmploymentBenefitPlansChangeInBenefitObligationDetails Employment Benefit Plans Change in Benefit Obligation (Details) Details 60 false false R61.htm 2413404 - Disclosure - Employment Benefit Plans Change in Plan Assets (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/EmploymentBenefitPlansChangeInPlanAssetsDetails Employment Benefit Plans Change in Plan Assets (Details) Details 61 false false R62.htm 2413405 - Disclosure - Employment Benefit Plans Plans with ABO in Excess of Plan Assets (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/EmploymentBenefitPlansPlansWithAboInExcessOfPlanAssetsDetails Employment Benefit Plans Plans with ABO in Excess of Plan Assets (Details) Details 62 false false R63.htm 2413406 - Disclosure - Employment Benefit Plans AOCI (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/EmploymentBenefitPlansAociDetails Employment Benefit Plans AOCI (Details) Details http://www.bnsf.com/role/EmploymentBenefitPlansTables 63 false false R64.htm 2413407 - Disclosure - Employment Benefit Plans Assumptions Used (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/EmploymentBenefitPlansAssumptionsUsedDetails Employment Benefit Plans Assumptions Used (Details) Details 64 false false R65.htm 2413408 - Disclosure - Employment Benefit Plans Plan Assets (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/EmploymentBenefitPlansPlanAssetsDetails Employment Benefit Plans Plan Assets (Details) Details 65 false false R66.htm 2413409 - Disclosure - Employment Benefit Plans Expected Benefit Payments (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/EmploymentBenefitPlansExpectedBenefitPaymentsDetails Employment Benefit Plans Expected Benefit Payments (Details) Details 66 false false R67.htm 2413410 - Disclosure - Employment Benefit Plans Other Details (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/EmploymentBenefitPlansOtherDetailsDetails Employment Benefit Plans Other Details (Details) Details 67 false false R68.htm 2414402 - Disclosure - Related Party Transactions (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/RelatedPartyTransactionsDetails Related Party Transactions (Details) Details http://www.bnsf.com/role/RelatedPartyTransactionsRelatedPartyTransactionsTables 68 false false R69.htm 2415402 - Disclosure - Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Reclassifications out of AOCI (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeReclassificationsOutOfAociDetails Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Reclassifications out of AOCI (Details) Details 69 false false R70.htm 2416402 - Disclosure - Quarterly Financial Data - Unaudited (Details) Sheet http://www.bnsf.com/role/QuarterlyFinancialDataUnauditedDetails Quarterly Financial Data - Unaudited (Details) Details http://www.bnsf.com/role/QuarterlyFinancialDataUnauditedTables 70 false false R9999.htm Uncategorized Items - bni-20191231.xml Sheet http://xbrl.sec.gov/role/uncategorizedFacts Uncategorized Items - bni-20191231.xml Cover 71 false false All Reports Book All Reports bni-20191231.xml bni-20191231.xsd bni-20191231_cal.xml bni-20191231_def.xml bni-20191231_lab.xml bni-20191231_pre.xml http://fasb.org/srt/2019-01-31 http://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2018-01-31 http://fasb.org/us-gaap/2019-01-31 true true