A double-acting hydraulic cushion unit for a railway car which is formed with a hydraulic-fluid-filled cylinder having a closed end and an open end afforded by an apertured cylinder head. A piston assembly is disposed for relative reciprocating movement within the cylinder and includes a piston rod which slidingly moves through the cylinder head. The unit is provided with a flexible accumulator boot connected to the cylinder head and to the piston rod to close the open end of the cylinder. A metering means comprises a metering pin on the cylinder which cooperates with a slidable orifice plate in the piston, the orifice plate having one position in buff impact and another position on the return stroke of the piston assembly to facilitate the transfer of fluid from one side of the piston head to the other. A fluidpressure-responsive valve means is movably disposed in a chamber contiguous with the accumulator to a position overlying passages communicating with the accumulator and to a position clear of said passages. The fluid-pressure-responsive valve is designed to also restrict the flow of fluid from one side of the piston during the return stroke of the piston and upon a draft impact stroke to cushion said impact. The piston rod also includes metering openings also serving on the return stroke to meter the fluid to the accumulator boot. In one embodiment relief valves are provided in the piston to open upon predetermined fluid pressures on opposite sides of said piston.