Accounts Payable and Other Current Liabilities Text Block Accounts Payable and Other Current Liabilities Accounts receivable, net (Note 2) Accumulated other comprehensive income loss net of tax Accumulated other comprehensive lost (Note 10) Additional Paid In Capital Paid-in-surplus Depreciation Net gain from asset sales Net gain on non-operating asset dispositions Consolidated Statements of Financial Position Cash and cash equivalents Cash and cash equivalents at end of year Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year Interest, net of amounts capitalized Accounts payable and other current liabilities Accounts payable and other current liabilities Accounts receivable, net (Note 2) Increase Decrease In Accounts Receivable Increase decrease in operating capital abstract Changes in Current Assets and Liabilities Changes in current assets and liabilities, net [N] Changes in current assets and liabilities Changes in current assets and liabilities, net [N] Commitments and Contingencies Common shares authorized Common shares outstanding Common shares, $2.50 par value, 800,000,000 authorized; 553,967,438 and 553,497,981 issued; 506,104,823 and 505,039,952 outstanding, respectively Comprehensive Income (Loss) Fuel Current liabilities: Total current liabilities Current liabilities Debt due within one year (Note 14) Debt due after one year (Note 14) Deferred income taxes and unrecognized tax benefits Financial Instruments Earnings per share - diluted Stock-based compensation expense Consolidated Statements of Income Income Taxes Disclosure Text Block Income Taxes Income taxes Income Taxes Paid Net Other current assets. Interest expense Interest expense Investments. Investments Compensation and benefits Settlement of current liabilities for debt Liabilities and Common Shareholders' Equity Abstract Liabilities and Common Shareholders' Equity Total liabilities and common shareholders' equity Liabilities and common shareholders' equity Total liabilities Liabilities Financing Activities Cash provided by/(used) in financing activities Cash used in financing activities Investing Activities Cash used in investing activities Cash used in investing activities Operating Activities Cash provided by operating activities Cash provided by operating activities Net income Net income Net change in cash and cash equivalents Net change in cash and cash equivalents Operating income Operating income Operating revenues: Total operating revenues Operating revenues Basis of Presentation Other operating activities, net Other operating activities, net Other comp. income/(loss) Other current assets Other investing activities, net Other investing activities, net Other financing activities, net Other income (Note 7) Dividends paid Dividends paid Common share repurchases Common share repurchases (Note 16) Retirement Plans Debt issued (Note 2) Proceeds from asset sales Cash received from option exercises Net properties (Note 11) Capital investments Capital investments Debt repaid Debt repaid Treasury shares repurchased for employee payroll taxes Treasury shares repurchased for employee payroll taxes [N] Retained earnings accumulated deficit Retained Earnings Other revenues Operations and Segmentation Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows Consolidated Statements of Changes in Common Shareholders' Equity Common shareholders' equity: Supplemental Cash Flow Information: Current assets: Total current assets Current assets Treasury Stock. Treasury Stock Weighted average number of shares - diluted Weighted average number of shares - basic Common Stock Properties Total assets Assets Other long-term liabilities Other Income. Cash dividends declared per share Stock Options and Other Stock Plans Current deferred income taxes Deferred income taxes Assets: Capital lease financings Selected Quarterly Data (Unaudited) Treasury stock Treasury stock Common Stock (units) Earnings per share - basic Excess tax benefits from equity compensation plans Common shares issued Other Other assets Operating expenses: Total operating expenses Operating expenses Share and Per Share (Notes 9): Income before income taxes Income before income taxes Common shares, par value Total common shareholders' equity Common shareholders' equity Income taxes Income taxes Dividends declared per share Statement of Changes in common shareholders' equity components [Axis] Paid-in-Surplus Retained Earnings Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss (Note 9) Equity Components Freight revenues Capital investments accrued but not yet paid Conversion, stock option exercises, forfeitures, and other Common stock dividend (value) (note 3) Share repurchases Conversion, stock option exercises, forfeitures, and other (shares) Common stock dividend (shares) (note 3) Share repurchases (shares) Comprehensive income Supplemental Cash Flow Information Common shares Common shares, beginning balance Common shares, ending balance Earnings Per Share Comprehensive income: Total comp. income (Note 10) Comp. income Cash dividends declared Accounts payable and other current liabilities (Note 12) Leases Commitments and contingencies (Note 15) Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities: Cash dividends declared but not yet paid Document Information Entity Information Materials and contracted services to maintain infrastructure and equipment and terminal services at intermodal and automotive facilities. Purchased services and materials Purchased Services And Material Equipment and other rents Rent paid for freight cars owned by other railroads or private companies, net of rents received, incuding lease expenses primarily for locomotives, railcars, containers and trailers, office and other rentals. 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 Consolidated Statements of Financial Position Parentheticals Abstract The cash outflow associated with the acquisition of long-lived, physical assets that are used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services and not intended for resale; and are pending financing Acquisition of equipment pending financing Acquisition of equipment pending financing Payments to acquire property plant and equipment pending financing 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. Increase decrease in material and supplies Reacquire common stock during the period but not yet paid Common shares repurchased but not yet paid Repurchase of common stock not yet paid Cash paid refunded for abstract Cash (paid)/refunded for: Company common shares that have been repurchased by the entity. Treasury Stock (units) This element is used as a single block of text to encapsulate the entire stock split disclosure. Stock Split Stock Split Text Block This element is used as a single block of text to encapsulate the entire disclosure for new accounting pronouncement that has been adopted. Adoption of New Accounting Pronouncement Description of New Accounting Pronouncements Adopted Text Block Document and Entity Information Abstract Proceeds from sale of assets financed The cash inflow associated with the acquisition of long-lived, physical assets that are used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services and not intended for resale; and are pending financing Capital Lease Incentives ProceedsFromLongTermCapitalObligations Proceeds from long term capital obligations Share Repurchase Program This element is used to disclose the repurchase of common stock through the company's repurchase program Share Repurchase Program Text Block Basis of Presentation Abstract Operations and Segmentation Abstract Stock Split Abstract Stock Options and Other Stock Plans Abstract Retirement Plans Abstract Other Income Abstract Income Taxes Abstract Earnings Per Share Disclosure Abstract Comprehensive Income (Loss) Abstract Properties Abstract Accounts Payable And Other Current Liabilities Abstract Financial Instruments Abstract Debt Abstract Commitments And Contingencies Abstract Share Repurchase Program Abstract Accounting Pronouncements Abstract Document type Document period end date Amendment flag Amendment description Entity registrant name Entity central index key Entity current reporting status Entity voluntary filers Current fiscal year end date Entity filer category Entity well known seasoned issuer Entity common stock shares outstanding Entity public float Statement [Table] Statement [Line Items] Cash dividends Leases Abstract Fair Value Measurements: Fair Value Measurements Cumulative effect of adoption of FIN 48 Selected Quarterly Data (Unaudited) Abstract Debt Stockholders' equity, beginning balance Stockholders' equity, ending balance Stockholders' equity Nature of Operations Nature of Operations Abstract Significant Accounting Policies Abstract Significant Accounting Policies Schedule Of Valuation And Qualifying Accounts Schedule Of Valuation And Qualifying Accounts Abstract Adoption Of New Accounting Pronouncement Abstract Change In Accounting Principle Abstract Change in Accounting Principle Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle (Note 3) Condensed Consolidated Statements of Financial Position (Unaudited) (Parentheticals) Abstract Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Common Shareholders' Equity (Unaudited) Abstract Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited) Abstract Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) Abstract Document Fiscal Year Focus Document Fiscal Period Focus