I work in logistics so I can tell you trains are used quite often on long haul routes. The most common useage to most is by UPS/FDX which ground packages going cross country use. Think CACH / Hodgkins.
Since rail is cheap compared to 53' trucks, containers are a big winner here, I know we get containers delviered from a rail yard every so often as it travels from Dallas to Chicago. Trains are a bit cheaper but the biggest problem is timing of shipments.