Abstract: A control system includes an interface device having a body extending between a first end and a second end and that provides power to a vehicle system from an external power source. Sensors may be coupled with the interface device and detect sensor data associated with the coupling of the external power source with the interface device. A controller receives the sensor data from the sensors and determines a coupling location at which the external power source is coupled with the interface device. The coupling location may be at a first position between the first end and the second end of the interface device. The controller controls movement of the vehicle system to change the coupling location between the external power source and the interface device from the first position to a second position between the first and second ends of the body.

Abstract: A vehicle control system determines that a vehicle is not fully loaded with a payload, determines an upper limit on engine propulsion power for the vehicle that is not fully loaded with the payload, and reduces an engine speed of the vehicle to a determined speed at which a power capability of an engine of the vehicle matches the upper limit on the engine propulsion power of the vehicle.

Abstract: An electric drive system for a vehicle and a method includes determining a headroom target for a drive system of a vehicle that includes an engine. The method includes determining whether a current speed of the engine can be decreased while the engine continues to provide a requested traction output of the drive system, and responsive to determining that the current speed of the engine can be decreased, decreasing the current speed of the engine to a reduced speed while the engine maintains the headroom target determined by the drive system.

Abstract: An electric drive system for a vehicle and method includes controlling a propulsion system of the vehicle to operate according to a first torque-speed relationship between a power generated by an engine and a speed of the engine. The engine is controlled according to the first torque-speed relationship during acceleration of the vehicle by motors that are powered by operation of the engine. The method includes determining that operation of the propulsion system has reached a steady state following the propulsion system operating according to the first torque-speed relationship and controlling the propulsion system to operate according to a second torque-speed relationship between the power and the speed of the engine. The second torque-speed relationship is reduced relative to the first torque-speed relationship such that the engine speed in the first torque-speed relationship is associated with a greater amount of power than in the second torque-speed relationship.

Abstract: A method includes monitoring one or more of an ambient condition or an operational condition of a vehicle system while the vehicle system is stationary and a propulsion system of the vehicle system is operating at an idle speed, determining whether the one or more of the ambient condition or the operational condition satisfy one or more reduced auxiliary or parasitic load criteria, reducing one or more of an auxiliary load or a parasitic load responsive to determining that the one or more ambient condition or the operational condition satisfy the one or more reduced auxiliary or parasitic load criteria, and subsequently reducing the idle speed at which the propulsion system is operating to a slower speed following reducing the one or more of the auxiliary load or the parasitic load.