Abstract: A vehicle system is provided that has an unoccupied control vehicle with no onboard driver. The control vehicle has a first propulsion system that can propel the control vehicle along a route, and optionally to stop or slow the control vehicle. One or more onboard power sources that can generate, store or both generate and store energy for powering at least the first propulsion system. A controller having one or more processors can autonomously control the propulsion system to move the control vehicle along one or more routes, and to interface with and couple to a driver-operable vehicle that has a second propulsion system. The controller can obtain control over the second propulsion system when the control vehicle is interfaced and coupled with the driver-operable vehicle.

Abstract: An examining system includes one or more application devices onboard a vehicle system. The application devices may electrically conduct an examination signal into one or more conductive bodies extending along a route and may include a catenary, a third rail, and/or a cable. The examining system may include one or more detection units that may be disposed onboard the vehicle system and that may monitor one or more electrical characteristics of the one or more conductive bodies in response to the examination signal being conducted into the one or more conductive bodies. The examining system may include an identification unit that may examine the one or more electrical characteristics of the one or more conductive bodies monitored by the one or more detection units to identify a compromised or damaged section of the one or more conductive bodies.

Abstract: A system includes a route examining system and an off-board failsafe controller. The route examining system is configured to examine a route on which a first vehicle system is moving and to generate an inspection signal based on the route examination. The inspection signal indicates a status of a segment of the route as damaged or undamaged. The off-board failsafe controller is configured to receive the inspection signal from the route examining system. Responsive to a lack of receipt of the inspection signal within a designated time period which indicates communication loss with the route examining system, the failsafe controller is configured to generate a warning signal for communication to a second vehicle system. The warning signal is generated to direct the second vehicle system to (i) avoid traveling over the route segment or (ii) travel over the route segment or another route segment at a reduced speed.

Abstract: A system includes a route examining system and an off-board failsafe controller. The route examining system is configured to examine a route on which a first vehicle system is moving and to generate an inspection signal based on the route examination. The inspection signal indicates a status of a segment of the route as damaged or undamaged. The off-board failsafe controller is configured to receive the inspection signal from the route examining system. Responsive to a lack of receipt of the inspection signal within a designated time period which indicates communication loss with the route examining system, the failsafe controller is configured to generate a warning signal for communication to a second vehicle system. The warning signal is generated to direct the second vehicle system to (i) avoid traveling over the route segment or (ii) travel over the route segment or another route segment at a reduced speed.

Abstract: A system includes a route examining system on a non-propulsion-generating vehicle at a trailing end of a leading vehicle system. The route examining system examines a route on which the leading vehicle system is moving to determine whether the route is damaged. The system also includes an off-board failsafe controller that communicates with the route examining system. The off-board failsafe controller sends a warning signal to the trailing vehicle system responsive to receiving a notification signal from the route examining system indicating detection of damage to the route. The off-board failsafe controller also sends the warning signal to the trailing vehicle system responsive to losing communication with the route examining system. The warning signal directs the trailing vehicle system to automatically change movement of the trailing vehicle system responsive to the detection of damage to the route and/or the off-board failsafe controller losing communication with the route examining system.

Abstract: A communication system includes wired communication devices onboard vehicles of a vehicle system, wireless communication devices disposed onboard other vehicles, and a controller. The controller remotely controls movement of some vehicles via communication with the wired communication devices and establishes a wireless communication link with other vehicles. The controller remotely controls movement of the other vehicles via wireless communication responsive to these vehicles being connected to the vehicle system for temporarily assisting in vehicle system movement along one or more routes. These vehicles are configured to be disconnected from wired communication with the other vehicles subsequent to being connected to the vehicle system. The wireless communication link is in addition to any wireless communication links established in the vehicle system prior to the one or more second vehicles being connected to the vehicle system.

Abstract: A control system having a controller is configured to operate a vehicle indexing system that moves one or more vehicles in a vehicle system into a position to one or more of unload cargo off of the one or more vehicles or load the cargo onto the one or more vehicles. The controller is configured to determine a power setting of the vehicle indexing system that is used by the vehicle indexing system to move the one or more vehicles in the vehicle system into the position. The controller also is configured to determine a vehicle power setting for the vehicle system based on the power setting of the vehicle indexing system for controlling the vehicle system to provide additional tractive effort to the vehicle indexing system to move the one or more vehicles into the position.

Abstract: A control system having a controller is configured to operate a vehicle indexing system that moves one or more vehicles in a vehicle system into a position to one or more of unload cargo off of the one or more vehicles or load the cargo onto the one or more vehicles. The controller is configured to determine a power setting of the vehicle indexing system that is used by the vehicle indexing system to move the one or more vehicles in the vehicle system into the position. The controller also is configured to determine a vehicle power setting for the vehicle system based on the power setting of the vehicle indexing system for controlling the vehicle system to provide additional tractive effort to the vehicle indexing system to move the one or more vehicles into the position.

Abstract: A communication system includes wired communication devices onboard vehicles of a vehicle system, wireless communication devices disposed onboard other vehicles, and a controller. The controller remotely controls movement of some vehicles via communication with the wired communication devices and establishes a wireless communication link with other vehicles. The controller remotely controls movement of the other vehicles via wireless communication responsive to these vehicles being connected to the vehicle system for temporarily assisting in vehicle system movement along one or more routes. These vehicles are configured to be disconnected from wired communication with the other vehicles subsequent to being connected to the vehicle system. The wireless communication link is in addition to any wireless communication links established in the vehicle system prior to the one or more second vehicles being connected to the vehicle system.

Abstract: A system includes a route examining system on a non-propulsion-generating vehicle at a trailing end of a leading vehicle system. The route examining system examines a route on which the leading vehicle system is moving to determine whether the route is damaged. The system also includes an off-board failsafe controller that communicates with the route examining system. The off-board failsafe controller sends a warning signal to the trailing vehicle system responsive to receiving a notification signal from the route examining system indicating detection of damage to the route. The off-board failsafe controller also sends the warning signal to the trailing vehicle system responsive to losing communication with the route examining system. The warning signal directs the trailing vehicle system to automatically change movement of the trailing vehicle system responsive to the detection of damage to the route and/or the off-board failsafe controller losing communication with the route examining system.

Abstract: A method for remotely controlling a vehicle system includes selectively identifying, among two or more consists in the vehicle system, a selected consist to remotely control. Each of the two or more consists including a propulsion-generating vehicle. The method also includes initiating remote control of the propulsion-generating vehicle in the selected consist and remotely controlling at least one of tractive effort or braking effort provided by the propulsion-generating vehicle in the selected consist using a remote control device. The at least one of tractive effort or braking effort provided by the propulsion-generating vehicle in the selected consist is controlled without remotely controlling tractive effort or braking effort provided by the propulsion-generating vehicle in at least one other consist in the vehicle system.

Abstract: A method for remotely controlling a plurality of vehicles includes receiving at an external control system, under an indexing mode of operation, a first signal from off-board vehicle indexing equipment. The method further includes establishing in the external control system a positioning mode of operation in response to the first signal. Further, under the positioning mode of operation, and in response to actuation of an interface of the external control system, the method includes sending from the external control system a second signal to a first vehicle of the plurality of vehicles, the second signal comprising a first command to adjust a throttle setting of first vehicle and a second command to idle a throttle of at least one second vehicle of the plurality of vehicles.

Abstract: A method for controlling automatic shut off of an engine includes determining if a control system of a propulsion-generating vehicle is operating in a remote control mode or an onboard control mode. The operations of the vehicle are remotely controlled from an off-board source when the control system is in the remote control mode. The operations of the vehicle are controlled from onboard the vehicle when the control system is in the onboard control mode. The method also includes deactivating an automatic engine start-stop (AESS) device responsive to the control system being in or switched to the remote control mode. The AESS device automatically turns off an engine of the vehicle when operations of the engine are below one or more designated thresholds for at least a designated period of time. The AESS device is prevented from automatically turning the engine off when the AESS device is deactivated.

Abstract: A method for remotely controlling a plurality of vehicles includes receiving at an external control system, under an indexing mode of operation, a first signal from off-board vehicle indexing equipment. The method further includes establishing in the external control system a positioning mode of operation in response to the first signal. Further, under the positioning mode of operation, and in response to actuation of an interface of the external control system, the method includes sending from the external control system a second signal to a first vehicle of the plurality of vehicles, the second signal comprising a first command to adjust a throttle setting of first vehicle and a second command to idle a throttle of at least one second vehicle of the plurality of vehicles.

Abstract: A tower control system, under an indexing mode of operation, receives a first signal from rail yard equipment. In response to the first signal, the tower control system establishes a positioning mode of operation. Under the positioning mode of operation, and in response to actuation of an interface of the tower control system, the tower control system sends a second signal to a lead powered rail vehicle of a consist. The second signal includes a first command to adjust a throttle setting of the lead powered rail vehicle, along with a second command to idle a throttle of any remote powered rail vehicle of the consist.

Abstract: A method for remotely controlling a vehicle system includes selectively identifying, among two or more consists in the vehicle system, a selected consist to remotely control. Each of the two or more consists including a propulsion-generating vehicle. The method also includes initiating remote control of the propulsion-generating vehicle in the selected consist and remotely controlling at least one of tractive effort or braking effort provided by the propulsion-generating vehicle in the selected consist using a remote control device. The at least one of tractive effort or braking effort provided by the propulsion-generating vehicle in the selected consist is controlled without remotely controlling tractive effort or braking effort provided by the propulsion-generating vehicle in at least one other consist in the vehicle system.

Abstract: A method for controlling automatic shut off of an engine includes determining if a control system of a propulsion-generating vehicle is operating in a remote control mode or an onboard control mode. The operations of the vehicle are remotely controlled from an off-board source when the control system is in the remote control mode. The operations of the vehicle are controlled from onboard the vehicle when the control system is in the onboard control mode. The method also includes deactivating an automatic engine start-stop (AESS) device responsive to the control system being in or switched to the remote control mode. The AESS device automatically turns off an engine of the vehicle when operations of the engine are below one or more designated thresholds for at least a designated period of time. The AESS device is prevented from automatically turning the engine off when the AESS device is deactivated.

Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle system includes receiving information of a failure condition in a first rail vehicle of a rail vehicle consist. The method further includes, in response to the failure condition, controlling a second rail vehicle of the rail vehicle consist from a first operational mode to a different, second operational mode. In the second operational mode, the second rail vehicle performs a function that the first rail vehicle cannot due to the failure condition. The information is received over a distributed power system of the rail vehicle consist, and/or the second rail vehicle is controlled over the distributed power system.

Abstract: A tower control system, under an indexing mode of operation, receives a first signal from rail yard equipment. In response to the first signal, the tower control system establishes a positioning mode of operation. Under the positioning mode of operation, and in response to actuation of an interface of the tower control system, the tower control system sends a second signal to a lead powered rail vehicle of a consist. The second signal includes a first command to adjust a throttle setting of the lead powered rail vehicle, along with a second command to idle a throttle of any remote powered rail vehicle of the consist.

Abstract: A method for preventing rollback of a rail vehicle from a stopped condition, includes receiving a first signal indicative of the rail vehicle's location, and, in response to the first signal, selecting from a lookup table one of a first plurality of pre-determined values of a braking parameter and selecting from the lookup table one of a second plurality of pre-determined values of a tractive effort parameter. In response to an order for movement, the method includes applying brakes of the rail vehicle, according to the selected value of the braking parameter; establishing tractive effort of the rail vehicle, according to the selected value of the tractive effort parameter; and, then, releasing the brakes of the rail vehicle to establish motion of the rail vehicle from the stopped condition.