Income Statement [Abstract] Statement [Table] Statement [Line Items] Railway operating revenues Revenues, Total Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic [Abstract] Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent [Abstract] Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest [Abstract] Income (Loss) before Cumulative Effect of Change in Accounting Principle [Abstract] Income (Loss) before Extraordinary Items and Cumulative Effect of Change in Accounting Principle [Abstract] Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest [Abstract] Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Cumulative Effects of Changes in Accounting Principles, Noncontrolling Interest [Abstract] Operating Income (Loss) [Abstract] Costs and Expenses [Abstract] Cost of Revenue [Abstract] Cost of Goods and Services Sold [Abstract] Cost of Services [Abstract] Railway operating expenses: Compensation and benefits Labor and Related Expense, Total The amount of expense for contract services provided to the Company and rent paid for frieght cars owned by other railroads or private companies net of rents received, including lease expenses, primarily for locomotives, railcars, containers, and trailers. Purchased services and rents Fuel Depreciation (CostOfServicesDepreciation) Depreciation Materials and other operating expenses not separately disclosed. This element is used when other, more specific, elements are not appropriate. Materials and other Materials and other Operating Expenses Total railway operating expenses Income from railway operations Operating Income (Loss), Total Other income,net Other Nonoperating Income (Expense), Total Interest Expense Interest expense on debt Sum of operating profit (loss) and non-operating income (expense) before income taxes. Income before income taxes Income Tax Expense (Benefit) Provision for income taxes Net income Net income Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent, Total Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic, Total Earnings Per Share [Abstract] Per share amounts Earnings Per Share, Basic Basic Earnings Per Share, Diluted Diluted Dividends (CommonStockDividendsPerShareCashPaid) Dividends Statement of Financial Position [Abstract] Assets (AssetsAbstract) Assets Cash and cash equivalents (CashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue) Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value, Total Cash and cash equivalents Accounts receivable, net Accounts Receivable, Net, Current, Total 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. Materials and supplies (MaterialsAndSupplies) Materials and supplies Deferred income taxes (DeferredTaxAssetsNetCurrent) Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current, Ending Balance Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current, Beginning Balance Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current, Total Deferred income taxes Other Assets, Current Other current assets Total current assets Assets, Current, Total Investments (LongTermInvestments) Long-term Investments, Total Investments Properties less accumulated depreciation Property, Plant and Equipment, Net, Ending Balance Property, Plant and Equipment, Net, Beginning Balance Property, Plant and Equipment, Net, Total Other Assets, Noncurrent Other assets Assets (Assets) Total assets Assets Liabilities and stockholders' equity Accounts payable Accounts Payable, Current, Total Income and other taxes Taxes Payable, Current, Total Other current liabilities Other Liabilities, Current, Total Long-term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations, Current Current maturities of long-term debt Total current liabilities Liabilities, Current, Total Long-term debt Long-term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations, Total Other liabilities Other Liabilities, Noncurrent, Total Deferred Tax Liabilities, Noncurrent Deferred income taxes Liabilities Total liabilities Common stock $1.00 per share par value, 1,350,000,000 shares authorized; outstanding 367,893,915 and 366,233,106 shares, respectively, net of treasury shares Additional paid-in capital Additional Paid in Capital, Ending Balance Additional Paid in Capital, Beginning Balance Additional Paid in Capital, Total Accumulated other comprehensive loss Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Ending Balance Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Beginning Balance Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Total Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit) Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit), Ending Balance Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit), Beginning Balance Retained income Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Ending Balance Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Beginning Balance Total stockholders' equity Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity Total liabilities and stockholders' equity Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) [Abstract] Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) [Abstract] Common Stock, Number of Shares, Par Value and Other Disclosures [Abstract] Common Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share Common Stock, Shares Authorized Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding, net of treasury shares Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding, Ending Balance Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding, Beginning Balance Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract] Cash and Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease) [Abstract] Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract] Cash flows from operating activities Reconciliation of net income to net cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation (Depreciation) Depreciation, Total Depreciation Deferred income taxes (DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit) Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit), Total Deferred income taxes Gains and losses on properties Increase (Decrease) in Operating Capital [Abstract] Increase (Decrease) in Operating Assets [Abstract] Changes in assets and liabilities affecting operations: Accounts receivable The net change during the reporting period in the aggregate value of all materials and supplies held by the reporting entity, associated with underlying transactions that are classified as operating activities. Materials and supplies (IncreaseDecreaseInMaterialsAndSupplies) Materials and supplies Other current assets Current liabilities other than debt The net cash inflow (outflow) from other operating activities. This element is used when there is not a more specific and appropriate element in the taxonomy. Other, net Other, net Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities Net cash provided by operating activities Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities [Abstract] Cash flows from investing activities Property additions Property additions Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment, Total Property sales and other transactions Proceeds from Sale of Property, Plant, and Equipment, Total Investments, including short-term Investments, including short-term Payments to Acquire Investments, Total Payments for (Proceeds from) Other Investing Activities Investment sales and other transactions Investment sales and other transactions Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities Net cash used in investing activities Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities [Abstract] Cash flows from financing activities Dividends (PaymentsOfDividends) Dividends Payments of Dividends, Total Dividends Common stock issued, net Purchase and retirement of common stock Purchase and retirement of common stock Payments for Repurchase of Equity, Total Proceeds from borrowings, net Proceeds from Issuance of Long-term Debt, Total Repayments of Long-term Debt Debt repayments Debt repayments Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities Net cash used in financing activities Cash and Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease) Net increase in cash and cash equivalents Cash and cash equivalents (EffectOfExchangeRateOnCashAndCashEquivalentsAbstract) Cash and cash equivalents Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value At end of period At beginning of year Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value, Total Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information Interest (net of amounts capitalized) Interest Paid, Net, Total Income taxes (net of refunds) Income Taxes Paid, Net, Total Stock-based Compensation (Unaudited) [Abstract] Stock-based Compensation (Unaudited) [Abstract] Stock-based Compensation Income Taxes (Unaudited) [Abstract] Income Taxes (Unaudited) [Abstract] Income Taxes Earnings Per Share (Unaudited) [Abstract] Earnings Per Share (Unaudited) [Abstract] Earnings Per Share Stockholders' Equity (Unaudited) [Abstract] Stockholders' Equity (Unaudited) [Abstract] Stockholders' Equity Stock Repurchase Program (Unaudited) [Abstract] Stock Repurchase Program (Unaudited) [Abstract] Stock Repurchase Program Investments [Abstract] Investments [Abstract] Investments (InvestmentHoldingsTextBlock) Investments Long-term Debt (Unaudited) [Abstract] Long-term Debt (Unaudited) [Abstract] Long-term Debt Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits (Unaudited) [Abstract] Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits (Unaudited) [Abstract] Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Comprehensive Income (Unaudited) [Abstract] Comprehensive Income (Unaudited) [Abstract] Comprehensive Income Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Unaudited) [Abstract] Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Unaudited) [Abstract] Fair Value of Financial Instruments Commitments and Contingencies (Unaudited) [Abstract] Commitments and Contingencies (Unaudited) [Abstract] Commitments and Contingencies Document Information [Text Block] Document Information [Table] Document Information [Line Items] Document Type Amendment Flag Document Period End Date Entity [Text Block] Entities [Table] Entity Information [Line Items] Entity Registrant Name Entity Central Index Key Current Fiscal Year End Date Entity Filer Category Entity Listings [Table] Entity Listings [Line Items] Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding