To be fair, the EU has more ports and a shorter distance from ports to the final destination, and ships are more fuel efficient than rail, so there's less need for long distance rail transport in the EU.
In researching that, I came across http://www.trforum.org/journal/downloads/2013v52n2_04_Freigh... , which argues that (in 2000) 83% of the differences in ton-miles can be explained by increased use of sea/non-surface mode transport, reduced distances, and a commodity mix, specifically coal transport. (Something like 40% of US rail tonnage-miles from coal, while it's about 15% of the EU's.)
In researching that, I came across http://www.trforum.org/journal/downloads/2013v52n2_04_Freigh... , which argues that (in 2000) 83% of the differences in ton-miles can be explained by increased use of sea/non-surface mode transport, reduced distances, and a commodity mix, specifically coal transport. (Something like 40% of US rail tonnage-miles from coal, while it's about 15% of the EU's.)