A railroad freight car draft gear includes a friction clutch assembly with friction members arranged in operable combination with an actuator. Each friction member has an outer friction surface which slides along a mating friction surface. A spring assembly is provided for absorbing, dissipating, and returning energy imparted to the draft gear. Recesses are provided on the respective mating friction surfaces of the draft gear. A uniquely designed preformed friction modifying insert is pressed into each recess on the clutch assembly components. Each insert includes an elongated leg having projections extending radially outward from opposed surfaces on the insert leg. Each friction modifying insert is furthermore configured to include a convex inner contact surface to facilitate insertion and active contact along with flared inner edges to improve fit between the insert and related draft gear components.

A railroad freight car draft gear includes a friction clutch assembly with friction members arranged in operable combination with an actuator. Each friction member has an outer friction surface which slides along a mating friction surface. A spring assembly is provided for absorbing, dissipating, and returning energy imparted to the draft gear. Recesses are provided on the respective mating friction surfaces of the draft gear. A uniquely designed preformed friction modifying insert is pressed into each recess on the clutch assembly components. Each insert includes an elongated leg having projections extending radially outward from opposed surfaces on the insert leg. Each friction modifying insert is furthermore configured to include a convex inner contact surface to facilitate insertion and active contact along with flared inner edges to improve fit between the insert and related draft gear components.

A yoke for a railway car is provided with a coupler support protruding from a top wall of the yoke into an interior space in the yoke to contact the coupler shank when the coupler head is deflected downward to prevent the coupler from drooping after prolonged use.

A yoke for a railway car is provided with a coupler support protruding from a top wall of the yoke into an interior space in the yoke to contact the coupler shank when the coupler head is deflected downward to prevent the coupler from drooping after prolonged use.

A yoke assembly includes an outer housing having opposite front and rear ends and can define an interior chamber between the front end and the rear end. The yoke assembly also can include a guiding sliding bushing disposed in the interior chamber of the outer housing, a guide rod extending through the interior chamber of the outer housing and through the guiding sliding bushing, a bumper assembly coupled with one end of the guide rod, and an elastomeric body and/or a resilient body disposed within the outer housing between the guiding sliding bushing and the rear end of the outer housing. The bumper assembly can be positioned to be engaged by a mechanical head of a first coupler system of a first vehicle to position a first hook of the first coupler system for coupling with a second hook of a second coupler system of a second vehicle.

A yoke assembly includes an outer housing having opposite front and rear ends and can define an interior chamber between the front end and the rear end. The yoke assembly also can include a guiding sliding bushing disposed in the interior chamber of the outer housing, a guide rod extending through the interior chamber of the outer housing and through the guiding sliding bushing, a bumper assembly coupled with one end of the guide rod, and an elastomeric body and/or a resilient body disposed within the outer housing between the guiding sliding bushing and the rear end of the outer housing. The bumper assembly can be positioned to be engaged by a mechanical head of a first coupler system of a first vehicle to position a first hook of the first coupler system for coupling with a second hook of a second coupler system of a second vehicle.