Railcar energy absorption/coupling system

A railcar energy absorption/coupling system including a cushioning assembly arranged in operable combination with a coupler and a yoke. The cushioning assembly is positioned in a draft pocket defined by a draft sill on a railcar between the front and rear stops. The yoke consists of a back wall along with top and bottom walls which are joined to and axially extending from the back wall toward a forward end of the cushioning assembly. The back wall of the yoke is disposed to contact the rear end of the cushioning assembly. The top and bottom walls of the yoke are operably coupled to a shank portion of the coupler toward a forward end of the yoke.