A convoy management system and method determine determining an inter-vehicle spacing in a convoy formed from two or more vehicles traveling together along one or more routes. Controllers onboard the two or more vehicles are instructed to automatically change movement of at least one of the vehicles in the convoy to maintain the inter-vehicle spacing. The inter vehicle spacing is dynamically changed during movement of the convoy along the one or more routes.

An energy system for a vehicle system having a plurality of motors that may include a first power supply assembly that may also include a first battery assembly of a plurality of battery assemblies. The first power supply assembly also may include a first bus coupled to a first motor of the plurality of motors and coupled to the first battery assembly. A second power supply assembly may also be provided that includes a second battery assembly of the plurality of battery assemblies coupled to a second bus that is coupled to a second motor of the plurality of motors. A controller may also be provided that may be configured to vary conduction of electric current from the first battery assembly to the first motor by the first bus based on an operating condition of the second power supply assembly to provide a first input to the first motor that may be different than a second input provided to the second motor by the second battery assembly.

An energy system for a vehicle system having a plurality of motors that may include a first power supply assembly that may also include a first battery assembly of a plurality of battery assemblies. The first power supply assembly also may include a first bus coupled to a first motor of the plurality of motors and coupled to the first battery assembly. A second power supply assembly may also be provided that includes a second battery assembly of the plurality of battery assemblies coupled to a second bus that is coupled to a second motor of the plurality of motors. A controller may also be provided that may be configured to vary conduction of electric current from the first battery assembly to the first motor by the first bus based on an operating condition of the second power supply assembly to provide a first input to the first motor that may be different than a second input provided to the second motor by the second battery assembly.

A first locomotive that includes a control unit is disclosed. The control unit may receive a power demand, determine a first power limit of the first locomotive, and receive a second power limit of a second locomotive and a third power limit of a third locomotive. The control unit may proportion the power demand into a first power allocation for the first locomotive, a second power allocation for the second locomotive, and a third power allocation for the third locomotive. The control unit may adjust the first power allocation based on the first power limit, adjust the second power allocation based on the second power limit, and adjust the third power allocation based on the third power limit. The control unit may cause an action to be performed in connection with the first power allocation, the second power allocation, and the third power allocation.

A system and method generate a trip plan for a trip of a vehicle system along a route. The usage of an engine during the trip is determined based on engine operational parameters, energy storage device operational parameters, and one or more objectives of the trip desired to be achieved. The usage of the energy storage device during the trip is also determined based on the engine operational parameters, the energy storage device operational parameters, and the one or more objective, including when to charge or discharge the energy storage device during the trip.

A vehicle communication system includes a lead communication device wirelessly communicating command messages to remote communication devices onboard a vehicle system during a messaging cycle. The lead device receives reply messages from the remote devices during the messaging cycle in response to the command messages. The lead device receives a status signal from at least one of the remote devices during a guard interval that follows completion of the messaging cycle. The lead device communicates the command message and receives the reply messages using analog modulation or digital modulation. The lead communication device also receives the status signal using the other of the analog modulation or the digital modulation. The command messages, the reply messages, and the status signal are communicated using a designated frequency channel.

A device for converting a diesel-electric locomotive into an electric locomotive includes operating components for an electric locomotive and an adapter frame on which the operating components are mounted. The adapter frame is designed so that it can be connected to connection points of a mechanical basic structure of the diesel-electric locomotive. There is also described a corresponding electric locomotive and a method for conversion.

A device for converting a diesel-electric locomotive into an electric locomotive includes operating components for an electric locomotive and an adapter frame on which the operating components are mounted. The adapter frame is designed so that it can be connected to connection points of a mechanical basic structure of the diesel-electric locomotive. There is also described a corresponding electric locomotive and a method for conversion.

Methods and systems are provided for processing data generated in a vehicle group. One example embodiment comprises selectively off-boarding a data set generated at a first vehicle in the vehicle group for storage purposes, the first data set off-boarded to one or more of a second vehicle in the vehicle group and a remote storage device.

Methods and systems are provided for processing data generated in a vehicle group. One example embodiment comprises selectively off-boarding a data set generated at a first vehicle in the vehicle group for storage purposes, the first data set off-boarded to one or more of a second vehicle in the vehicle group and a remote storage device.