<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-29</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000099780</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TRINITY INDUSTRIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NYSE/TRN</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001196980</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ADAMS JOHN L</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2525 STEMMONS FREEWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DALLAS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>75207</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Executive Vice President</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Trinity Stock Units</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-08-29</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>10</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>26.32</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F1"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>10</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>14062</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>by Trust</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The Trinity Stock Units were accrued under the Trinity Industries, Inc. Supplemental Profit Sharing Plan and will be settled upon the reporting  person's retirement or other termination of service or earlier for in service distributions under limited circumstances as provided by the plan.  Stock Units convert at a ratio of 1 to 1.  The data in columns  2 and 6 are for filing format purposes only.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Michael G. Fortado  For:  John L. Adams</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-09-02</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>
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X0201
4
2003-08-29
0000099780
TRINITY INDUSTRIES INC
NYSE/TRN
0001196980
ADAMS JOHN L
2525 STEMMONS FREEWAY
DALLAS
TX
75207
0
1
0
0
Executive Vice President
Trinity Stock Units
0
2003-08-29
4
A
0
10
26.32
A
Common Stock
10
14062
I
by Trust
The Trinity Stock Units were accrued under the Trinity Industries, Inc. Supplemental Profit Sharing Plan and will be settled upon the reporting  person's retirement or other termination of service or earlier for in service distributions under limited circumstances as provided by the plan.  Stock Units convert at a ratio of 1 to 1.  The data in columns  2 and 6 are for filing format purposes only.
Michael G. Fortado  For:  John L. Adams
2003-09-02