As part of the Association of American Railroad (AAR) Strategic Research Initiatives (SRI) program, MxV Rail conducted impact tests on six different railcar draft systems to characterize and evaluate their performance. The results showed that end-of-car cushioning (EOCC) units provided the most impact protection while friction draft gears provided the least impact protection.   Draft systems protect railcars and lading by absorbing energy during impacts and limiting relative motion between coupled cars as coupler forces are transmitted through a train. Common draft systems used in the North American fleet include friction draft gears and EOCC units.   EOCC units are a type of hydraulic draft system that provides impact protection for cars and lading in high-force, high-acceleration yard environments, but due to their long displacement stroke, they can cause slack action issues during normal train operations. Friction draft gears use a combination of spring and friction elements to control the relative motion…