Abstract: A vehicle control system and method include processors that determine that an energy storage device of a vehicle will have insufficient energy to power a propulsion system of the vehicle under a first set of operational settings to move the vehicle from a first location within a powered segment to a designated second location that is outside of an unpowered segment of a route. Responsive to determining that the energy storage device will have insufficient energy, the processors change one or more settings of the vehicle to operate the vehicle under a second set of operational settings while the vehicle moves within the powered segment of the route to charge the energy storage device to a greater extent relative to operating of the vehicle according to the first set of operational settings.

Abstract: A vehicle system includes an electric motor and one or more of a generator or an alternator coupled with the electric motor and configured to generate electric energy from rotation created by the electric motor. The generator or alternator is configured to power one or more traction motors to propel the vehicle system. The electric motor may replace a fuel engine of the vehicle system.

Abstract: A system includes a generator coupled to an engine and configured to generate electricity from rotational movement of a shaft of the engine, a motor configured to be driven by the generator through one or more power conversion components, the motor configured to drive a load, a sensor configured to measure generator output, and a controller configured to detect engine imbalance based on a frequency content of a signal output from the sensor in response to a contribution to the frequency content from the one or more power conversion components and/or the load of the motor being less than a threshold value.

Abstract: A vehicle control system determines an upper non-zero limit on deceleration of a vehicle to prevent rollback of the vehicle down a grade being traveled up on by the vehicle. The upper non-zero limit on deceleration is determined by the controller based on a payload carried by the vehicle, a speed of the vehicle, and a grade of a route being traveled upon by the vehicle. The controller is configured to monitor the deceleration of the vehicle, and to automatically prevent the deceleration of the vehicle from exceeding the upper non-zero limit by controlling one or more of a brake or a motor of the vehicle. The controller also is configured to one or more of actuate the brake or supply current to the motor of the vehicle to prevent rollback of the vehicle while the vehicle is moving up the grade at a non-zero speed.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling a vehicle system determine one or more of a route parameter of a route on which the vehicle system is moving or a vehicle parameter of the vehicle system. The system and method also determine whether a ratio of a lateral force exerted by one or more wheels of the vehicle system on the route to a vertical force exerted by the one or more wheels of the vehicle system on the route increases to a value exceeding a designated threshold as a result of the one or more route parameter of vehicle parameter that is determined. The ratio of the lateral force to the vertical force exerted by the one or more wheels of the vehicle system on the route is reduced to a value less than the designated threshold by changing an operation of the vehicle system.

Abstract: A power delivery system includes a first inverter, a second inverter, and a turbocharger assist device. The first inverter is electrically connected to a primary bus and configured to receive electric current from an alternator via the primary bus to supply the electric current to a first load. The alternator generates the electric current based on mechanical energy received from an engine. The second inverter is electrically connected to a secondary bus discrete from the primary bus. The turbocharger assist device is mechanically connected to a turbocharger operably coupled to the engine. The turbocharger assist device is electrically connected to the secondary bus and configured to generate electric current based on rotation of a rotor of the turbocharger. The second inverter is configured to receive the electric current generated by the turbocharger assist device via the secondary bus to supply the electric current to a second load.

Abstract: A vehicle control system and method include one or more processors that determine that a vehicle has or will have insufficient energy to power a propulsion system of the vehicle under a first set of operational settings to move the vehicle from a first location to a designated second location that is outside of an unpowered segment of a route along which the vehicle moves. Responsive to determining that the vehicle has or will have insufficient energy, the one or more processors change one or more of a throttle setting or a brake setting of the vehicle to operate the vehicle under a second set of operational settings while the vehicle moves within a powered segment of the route.

Abstract: A system and method determine (a) thermal characteristics of an energy storage apparatus that supplies electric current to one or more vehicular loads for powering the one or more vehicular loads and/or (b) electrical characteristics of the energy storage apparatus or the one or more vehicular loads. The system and method determine whether operation of the energy storage apparatus indicates that the energy storage apparatus is unexpectedly heating or unexpectedly cooling and identifying a fault in the energy storage apparatus responsive to determining that the energy storage apparatus is unexpectedly heating or unexpectedly cooling.

Abstract: A method and system include determining a resonant frequency of a vehicle system operably coupled with an external power source that provides voltage and current to the vehicle system. A first filter extracts a phase or a frequency component from the voltage provided by the external power source to generate a stabilizing voltage component. A second filter extracts a phase or a frequency component from the current provided by the external power source to generate a stabilizing current component. The stabilizing voltage component is out of phase with the stabilizing current component. A control input of a converter device of the vehicle system is determined based on the stabilizing voltage component, the stabilizing current component, and the resonant frequency. The stabilizing voltage component, the stabilizing current component, and the control input are communicated with the converter device to change the resonant frequency of the vehicle system.

Abstract: Methods are provided that may include determining one or more of a vibration characteristic or a fluid characteristic of one or more components of a vehicle and determining one or more expected characteristics for the one or more of the vibration characteristic or the fluid characteristic. The methods may also include determining whether the one or more of the vibration characteristic or the fluid characteristic deviates from the one or more expected respective characteristics, and implementing one or more responsive actions in response to determining that the one or more of the vibration characteristic or the fluid characteristic deviates from the one or more expected characteristics.

Abstract: A battery management system thermally conditions a battery assembly prior to a determined upcoming time or the battery assembly's arrival at an upcoming location, and selects a source of the power used for the thermal conditioning.

Abstract: A system includes one or more sensors that generate sensor measurements representing a first parameter of one or more components of a power circuit. The system includes a control unit that obtains a reference rate of change value of the first parameter based at least in part on the sensor measurements over time. The control unit compares rates of change of monitored values of the sensor measurements over time to the reference rate of change value over time, and determines a deviation condition in response to the rate of change of a first monitored value of the sensor measurements differing from the reference rate of change value by more than a determined tolerance margin value. The control unit generates a control signal responsive to detecting the deviation condition to change an operating condition of at least one of the components of the power circuit.

Abstract: A method and system controller includes determining a power requirement for a vehicle system to complete a planned trip over a route. The method includes determining whether an amount of available power from the vehicle system is sufficient to propel the vehicle system to complete the planned trip by comparing the available power with the power requirement that is determined. The method includes changing one or more operational aspects of the planned trip based on the comparison between the amount of available power and the power requirement that is determined to generate a newly planned modified trip.

Abstract: A route examining system includes first and second detection units and an identification unit. The first and second detection units are configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle system traveling along a route having plural conductive tracks. The first and second detection units are disposed at spaced apart locations along a length of the vehicle system. The first and second detection units are configured to monitor one or more electrical characteristics of the conductive tracks in response to an examination signal being electrically injected into at least one of the conductive tracks. The identification unit includes one or more processors configured to determine that a section of the route includes an electrical short responsive to the one or more electrical characteristics monitored by the first and second detection units indicating that the examination signal is received by only one of the first and second detection units.

Abstract: A power system including at least one electrical machine, plurality of doubly fed induction machines (DFIMs), a plurality of first power converters, and a speed regulation unit is presented. The electrical machine includes a mechanical input end and at least one of a first stator winding terminal and a first rotor winding terminal. Each DFIM includes a second stator winding terminal, a second rotor winding terminal, and a mechanical output end. At least one of the first stator winding terminal and the first rotor winding terminal is coupled to one of first power converters and the second rotor winding terminal of each DFIM is coupled to one of the first power converters. The speed regulation unit is coupled to at least one of the mechanical input end and the mechanical output end.

Abstract: A system and method includes a secondary energy storage system (SESS) and a control system. The SESS is configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle and conductively connected via switch devices to a primary battery and a cranking device of the vehicle. The control system is configured to control the switch devices to close a conductive path to discharge electric current from the SESS for powering the cranking device to rotate an engine shaft during a cranking operation. The control system is configured to control the switch devices to open the conductive path and prevent discharge of electric current from the SESS after the cranking operation is complete.

Abstract: A system includes a first group of sensors and a control circuit including one or more processors. The first group of sensors is associated with an energy storage module having one or more energy storage devices. The sensors in the first group generate sensor measurements representing one or more parameters of the energy storage module. The control circuit is configured to receive the sensor measurements and determine one or more of a reference value or a reference variation of a specific parameter related to the energy storage module based at least in part on the sensor measurements. The control circuit compares one or more of monitored values or monitored variations of the specific parameter, based on the sensor measurements generated by sensors, to the reference value or the reference variation of the specific parameter and detects a deviation that is greater than a designated tolerance margin.

Abstract: A method includes detecting an out of phase condition and an in-phase condition between a vehicle platform and two or more propulsion units attached to the platform. A first speed from a first propulsion unit is compared to a second speed and a torque of one or more propulsion units is controlled to reduce the out of phase condition and/or the in-phase condition when a difference between the first speed and the second speed is greater than a threshold value. A vehicle includes a platform, two or more propulsion units attached to the platform, and a processor. The processor compares a first speed from a first propulsion unit to a second speed, detects from the comparison an out of phase condition between the platform and the two or more propulsion units, and detects from the comparison an in-phase condition between the platform and the two or more propulsion units.

Abstract: A system comprising resistive circuit legs coupled with and disposed between (a) a converter that converts electric current for a motor of a powered system and (b) a source of electric current for powering the motor, each of the circuit legs including a braking resistor coupled with the converter, a contactor coupled with the braking resistor such that the braking resistor is between the converter and the contactor, and a semiconductor switch coupled with the contactor such that the contactor is between the semiconductor switch and the braking resistor, where, during a regenerative braking mode of operation of the powered system, the regenerated energy from the motor is conducted to the braking resistor and dissipated as heat.

Abstract: System includes a controller configured to obtain one or more of a route parameter or a vehicle parameter from discrete examinations of one or more of a route or a vehicle system. The route parameter is indicative of a health of the route over which the vehicle system travels. The vehicle parameter is indicative of a health of the vehicle system. The discrete examinations of the one or more of the route or the vehicle system separated from each other by one or more of location or time. The controller is configured to examine the one or more of the route parameter or the vehicle parameter to determine whether the one or more of the route or the vehicle system is damaged. The system also includes examination equipment configured to continually monitor the one or more of the route or the vehicle system responsive to determining that the one or more of the route or the vehicle is damaged.