Warmer weather and an increase in production sparked efforts to replenish utilities with low stocks.
US carloads reached 113,707, down 1.5% from the previous week but up 6.6% from the same week last year, the Association of American Railroads reported.
Year on year, weekly US carloads have increased for six consecutive weeks, the first time it has happened since early 2012.
BNSF Railway, Union Pacific and CSX continued to show year-on-year increases, while Norfolk Southern's volumes remained embattled.
To date, coal carloads originated on US railroads totalled approximately 1.8 million, up 0.8% compared with the 2013 period.
The Canadian railroads, including the US operations of Canadian National and Canadian Pacific, transported 10,235 coal carloads during the week, up 9% from the previous week and up 15.2% from the same 2013 period.
The total for the week ending April 19 is the highest amount posted this year, and the highest since the week ending September 21, 2013.
