METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LIMITING IN-TRAIN FORCES OF A RAILROAD TRAIN

• US 20080128562A1
• Filed: 04/30/2007
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Kumar, Ajith Kuttannair, Brooks, James D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,037,323 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 246/186
• CPC Class Codes: B61C 17/12 Control gear; Arrangements for controlling locomotives from remote points in the train or when operating in multiple units control from points outside the train B61L3/00; fluid-actuated telemotors, servomotors F15B; control devices in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0058 On-board optimisation of vehicle or vehicle train operation
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0072 On-board train data handling
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0081 On-board diagnosis or maintenance

Abstract

An apparatus for operating a railway system, the railway system comprising a lead vehicle consist, a non-lead vehicle consist and railcars, the apparatus including a first element for determining a slack condition of railway system segments, wherein the segments are delineated by nodes, and a control element configured to control an application of tractive effort or braking effort of the lead vehicle consist or the non-lead vehicle consist.

Claims

1. An apparatus for operating a railway system, the railway system comprising a lead vehicle consist, a non-lead vehicle consist and railcars, the apparatus comprising:

a first element for determining a slack condition of railway system segments, wherein the segments are delineated by nodes; and

a control element configured to control an application of tractive effort or braking effort of the lead vehicle consist or the non-lead vehicle consist.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control element is configured to automatically control at least one of the railway system, the lead vehicle consist, and the non-lead vehicle consist

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control element is configured to provide advisory information about train control for at least one of the railway system, the lead vehicle consist, and the non-lead vehicle consist.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a first sub-train is delineated by the lead vehicle consist and a node and a second sub-train is delineated by the said node and another node, wherein the first element determines a more stable of the slack condition of the first and the second sub-trains, and wherein the tractive effort or the braking effort is shifted to the control element associated with the sub-train having the more stable slack condition.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a first sub-train is delineated by the lead vehicle consist and a node and a second sub-train is delineated by the said node and another node, and wherein the tractive effort or the braking effort of the railway system can be shifted to the control element responsive to a slack condition of the first sub-train and the second sub-rain.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the tractive effort or the braking effort shifted to the control element is further responsive to a relationship between a characteristic of the first sub-train and the second dub-train.

7. The apparatus of claim J16 wherein the characteristic comprises a weight or a weight distribution of the first and the second sub-trains.

8. An apparatus for controlling a railway system, comprising:

a first element for determining a slack condition of the railway system or of segments of the railway system; and

a second element for controlling the application of tractive effort or the application of braking effort to the railway system responsive to the slack condition.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the railway system comprises a rail network and a rail vehicle traversing the rail network, the rail vehicle exhibiting the slack condition, and wherein the second element controls the application of tractive effort or braking effort to maintain the current slack condition or to modify the slack condition of the rail vehicle or segments of the rail vehicle.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the rail vehicle comprises a locomotive and railcars, and wherein the first element further determines a location of a slack condition change on the rail vehicle,

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the second element controls the application of tractive effort or braking effort responsive to the location of the slack condition change, and further responsive to one or more of a location of the rail vehicle on the rail network, a mass of the rail vehicle, a mass distribution of the rail vehicle, the location of the slack condition change relative to the mass distribution of the rail vehicle, a mass of the rail vehicle between the location of the slack condition change and the locomotive and a force developed by the slack condition change.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the second element controls the application of tractive effort or braking effort at a rate responsive to the slack condition or for a time interval responsive to the slack condition.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the second element controls a speed of the railway system responsive to the slack condition.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the second element controls the application of tractive effort or braking effort at a rate responsive to the slack condition and further responsive to a force threshold to limit forces exerted on couplers of the railway system as the tractive effort or braking efforts are applied.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the force threshold is modified according to a supplied sensitivity factor.

16. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the railway system comprises a plurality of spaced apart locomotives, and wherein the first element further determines a slack condition change relative to the plurality of spaced apart locomotives, and wherein the second element controls the application of tractive effort or braking effort at each one of the plurality of locomotives responsive to a magnitude of the force exerted on each one of the plurality of locomotives by the slack condition change.

17. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the railway system comprises a rail vehicle, the rail vehicle further comprising a lead locomotive and one or more remote locomotives, and wherein the segments of the railway system are bounded by the lead locomotive and the one or more remote locomotives.

18. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the railway system comprises a rail network and a rail vehicle traversing the rail network, the rail vehicle exhibiting the slack condition, wherein an amount of acceleration and deceleration applied to the vehicle, as controlled by the second element, is responsive to the slack condition.

19. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the slack condition further comprises a range of uncertainty, and wherein the second element applies tractive effort and braking effort responsive to the slack condition and the range of uncertainty.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the first element determines an assumed slack condition responsive to assumed movement parameters of the railway system and an actual slack condition responsive to measured movement parameters, and wherein the range of uncertainty is responsive to a relationship between the assumed movement parameter and the actual movement parameter.

21. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first element is further responsive to characteristics of couplers linking railcars and locomotives of the railway system, and wherein the application of tractive effort or braking effort by the second element is responsive to one or more of coupler force limits, a coupler dead band and a coupler spring constant.

22. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the slack condition comprises a bunched, stretched or intermediate slack condition each condition having an associated threshold defining the condition.

23. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the slack condition comprises a plurality of discrete slack states each state having an associated threshold defining each one of the plurality of discrete slack states.

24. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the slack condition comprises a continuum of slack conditions between a bunched condition and a stretched condition.

25. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the slack condition comprises a predicted current slack condition or a predicted future slack condition.

26. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the second element comprises a human operator of the railway system.

27. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the second element comprises an automatic train control system.

28. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein an operator operates the railway system, the apparatus further comprising an advisory control system for providing advisory control actions to the operator responsive to the slack condition, the advisory control actions further comprising advisory tractive effort applications or advisory braking effort applications, and wherein the operator determines whether to implement the advisory control actions by manual operation of the second element.

29. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein an operator manually operates the second element responsive to the slack condition, the second element controlling the application of tractive effort or the application of braking effort responsive to the operator/s manual operation.

30. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a third element for permitting an operator to override a determined slack condition, the second element responsive thereto.

31. The apparatus of claim 8 the first element determining or predicting a slack condition responsive to one or more of distributed train weight, a track profile, a track grade, environmental conditions, rail friction, wind velocity and direction, applied tractive effort, applied braking effort, brake pipe pressure, historical tractive effort, historical braking effort, railway system speed, railway system acceleration, application of sand to rails, isolation of railway system locomotives and flange lubrication applications.

32. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first element determines the slack condition for n sub trains within the railway system.

33. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the slack condition comprises a change in slack condition or a transient slack condition, further comprising one or more of a severity of the change in slack condition, a location on the railway system of the change in the slack condition, and the severity of the transient slack condition.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 further comprising a display for providing information regarding the change in slack condition.

35. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the second element controls the application of tractive effort or braking effort responsive to one or more of the severity of the change in the slack condition, the location of the change in the slack condition and the severity of the transient slack condition.

36. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the railway system comprises a locomotive and railcars, and wherein the slack condition comprises a severity of a change in the slack condition, and wherein the severity is responsive to a distance of the change in the slack condition from the locomotive or is responsive to a tonnage between the locomotive and a location of the change in slack condition.

37. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the railway system comprises a locomotive and railcars, and wherein the slack condition comprises a rate of change in location of the slack condition relative to a location of the locomotive.

38. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the railway system comprises a locomotive and railcars, and wherein the slack condition comprises railcar tonnage experiencing a slack condition change or comprises a rate at which railcar tonnage experiences a slack condition change.

39. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a third element for predicting a response of the slack condition to the application of tractive effort or braking effort by the second element.

40. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the second element controls the application of tractive effort or braking effort at a rate responsive to the slack condition and responsive to changes in the slack condition.

41. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the second element controls the application of tractive effort responsive to an acceleration limit or braking effort responsive to deceleration limit, the acceleration limit and the deceleration limit responsive to the slack condition.

42. The apparatus of claim 8 the second element for maintaining a tractive effort application or a braking effort application for a predetermined time responsive to a slack condition.

43. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the second element controls the application of tractive effort or braking effort according to a current transient slack condition as determined by the first element, the second element applying the tractive effort or braking effort to limit effects of the current transient slack condition on the railway system.

44. The apparatus of claim 43 wherein the second element maintains application of a current tractive effort or a current braking effort for a first determined time interval, and applies a different tractive effort or a different braking effort after the first determined time interval.

45. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first element further determines a location or a severity of an impending slack condition change.

46. The apparatus of claim 45 wherein the railway system comprises a railway train further comprising a plurality of railcars and the location comprises a railcar number or a tonnage between the location of the impending slack condition and another location on the railway train.

47. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the second element comprises an automatic control system and an operator of the railway system can control the second element to override applications of tractive effort or braking effort responsive to the slack condition determined by the first element.

48. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein an operator of the railway system can modify factors employed by the first element for use in determining the slack condition.

49. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the second element controls the application of tractive effort or braking effort to achieve a desired slack condition as determined by the first element.

50. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the slack condition comprises a run-in event or a run-out event.

51. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein an operator of the railway system can override the application of tractive effort or braking effort by the second element.

52. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein an operator of the railway system can apply tractive effort or braking effort independent of the slack condition as determined by the first element.

53. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first element determines the slack condition responsive to measured railway system characteristic parameters and movement parameters.

54. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first element determines the slack condition responsive to predicted railway system characteristic parameters and movement parameters.

55. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein a railway system operator can override or supplement railway system characteristic parameters previously supplied to the first element.

59. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the railway system comprises a rail vehicle, and wherein the first element predicts the slack condition at a forward track location ahead of the vehicle'"'"'s current location, the slack condition predicted responsive to one or more of a current slack condition, railway system characteristics, a track profile, coupler characteristics, rail vehicle characteristics and planned applications of tractive and braking efforts to the forward track location.

60. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the railway system comprises one or more locomotives and a plurality of railcars, and wherein the first element determines the slack condition responsive to a distance between two locomotives, between a locomotive and a railcar or between two railcars.

61. The apparatus of claim 60 wherein the distance is determined responsive to a location of each of the two locomotives, of each one of the locomotive and one of the plurality of railcars or of two of the plurality of railcars, and wherein the location is determined according to a global positioning system or according to a track-based location determining element.

62. The apparatus of claim 60 wherein a current distance between the two locomotives, between the locomotive and the railcar or between the two railcars is compared with a previous respective distance between the two locomotives, between the locomotive and the one of the plurality of railcars or between the two of the plurality of railcars to determine a change in the slack condition.

63. The apparatus of claim 60 wherein coupler characteristics are determinable from the distance and the tractive effort.

64. The apparatus of claim 60 wherein the first element determines a changing distance between two locomotives, between a locomotive and a railcar or between two railcars to determine a current run-in or run-out condition.

70. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the second element controls the application of tractive effort and braking effort to achieve a desired slack condition at forward track location responsive to the slack condition determined by the first element.

71. The apparatus of claim 70 wherein the desired slack condition is supplied from a database or is supplied by an operator of the railway system.

72. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first element determines a current slack condition responsive to a current track profile, the applied tractive effort, the applied braking effort and a current speed.

73. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the railway system further comprises one or more locomotives and railcars linked by a coupler attached to the one or more locomotives and the railcars, wherein the first element determines a sign of a sum of forces exerted on one of the couplers to determine the slack condition of the one of the couplers.

74. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the railway system further comprises one or more locomotives and railcars linked by a coupler attached to the one or more locomotives and the railcars, wherein the first element determines a magnitude and direction of a sum of forces exerted on one of the couplers to determine the slack condition of the one of the couplers.

75. The apparatus of claim 74 wherein the forces on a first railcar comprise a forward-directed force exerted by a second railcar coupled to a forward end of the first railcar, a reverse-directed force exerted by a third railcar coupled to a rearward end of the first railcar and a reverse direction and a resistance force.

76. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the railway system further comprises one or more locomotives and railcars linked by a coupler attached to the one or more locomotives and the railcars, wherein the first element determines a change in a force magnitude or a force direction exerted on a coupler to determine a slack run-in or a slack run-out condition.

77. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the railway system further comprises one or more locomotives and railcars each linked by a coupler attached to the one or more locomotives and the railcars, wherein the first element determines a change in a force exerted on spaced apart couplers to determine the severity of a slack event between the two spaced-apart couplers.

78. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein the first element determines at least one of a rate of change of a coupler force and a direction of a change of coupler force to determine a change in the slack condition.

79. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the railway system further comprises one or more locomotives and railcars linked by a coupler attached to the one or more locomotives and the railcars, wherein the first element determines a change in forces exerted on the couplers to determine an impending change in the slack condition.

80. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the railway system further comprises one or more locomotives and railcars linked by a coupler attached to the one or more locomotives and the railcars, and wherein the first element determines a force exerted on one or more of the couplers and a location of a change in slack condition responsive to a change in the determined forces, and wherein the second element applies tractive effort or braking effort responsive to the location of the change in slack condition.

81. The apparatus of claim 80 wherein the second element applies tractive effort further responsive to a mass parameter of the railway system.

82. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the railway system further comprises one or more locomotives and railcars linked by a coupler attached to the one or more locomotives and the railcars, and wherein the first element determines a rate of change of a force exerted on a coupler.

83. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the railway system further comprises one or more locomotives and railcars linked by a coupler attached to the one or more locomotives and the railcars, and wherein the first element determines a difference between a force exerted on a first coupler and a force exerted on a second coupler spaced apart from the first coupler.

84. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the railway system further comprises a train further comprising one or more locomotives and railcars linked by couplers attached to the one or more locomotives and the railcars, and wherein the first element determines a slack condition at a first train location and further determines an effect of the determined slack condition at a second train location, responsive to one or more of a distance between the first and the second locations, a mass between the first and the second locations and a ratio of the mass between the first and the second locations and a mass of the train.

85. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the second element for applying tractive effort or braking effort responsive to the slack condition comprises an operator in receipt of the slack condition from the first element or comprises an automatic train control system responsive to a signal indicating the slack condition.

86. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the railway system further comprises one or more locomotives and railcars linked by a coupler attached to the one or more locomotives and the railcars, wherein the first element determines a magnitude and direction of a sum of forces exerted on one of the couplers to determine the slack condition of the one of the couplers.

106. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a third element for providing a railway system operator with a visual or aural indication of the slack condition.

107. The apparatus of claim 106 wherein the third element comprises a visual display.

108. The apparatus of claim 106 wherein the third element provides an audio warning related to the slack condition.

109. The apparatus of claim 106 wherein the third element provides an indication of a current or future slack condition for the railway system or for segments of the railway system.

110. he apparatus of claim 106 wherein the third element comprises a display providing a textual indication of the current or the future slack condition for the railway system or for segments of the railway system.

111. The apparatus of claim 106 wherein the visual indication of the slack condition comprises an indication of a bunched, stretched or intermediate slack state for the railway system or for segments of the railway system or the visual indication comprises an indication of a continuum of slack conditions for the railway system or for segments of the railway system.

112. The apparatus of claim 106 wherein the third element comprises a graphical or a textual indication of the slack condition, further comprising one or more of a percent of the railway system in a current designated slack condition or expected to be in a future designated slack condition, a number of railcars of the railway system in a current designated slack condition or expected to be in a future designated slack condition, a tonnage of the railway system in a current designated slack condition or expected to be in a future designated slack condition.

113. The apparatus of claim 106 further comprising a fourth element for predicting a response of the slack condition to the application of tractive effort or braking effort by the second element, and wherein the third element provides a railway system operator with an indication of the predicted response.

114. The apparatus of claim 106 wherein the second element applies tractive effort responsive to an acceleration limit or braking effort responsive to deceleration limit, the acceleration limit and the deceleration limit responsive to the slack condition, and wherein the third element provides an indication of the acceleration limit and the deceleration limit.

115. The apparatus of claim 114 wherein the third element provides a visual or aural indicia when the acceleration limit or the deceleration limit is exceeded by the respective application of tractive effort or braking effort.

116. The apparatus of claim 106 wherein the second element for maintaining a tractive effort application or a braking effort application for a predetermined time responsive to a slack condition, wherein the third element provides an indication of the predetermined time.

117. The apparatus of claim 106 wherein the first element further determines one or more of a location of a slack event, forces associated with the slack event and a severity of an impending slack event, the third element for indicating the location, the forces or the severity.

118. The apparatus of claim 117 wherein the railway system comprises a railway train further comprising a plurality of railcars and the location comprises a railcar number or a tonnage between the location of the impending slack condition and another location on the railway train, the third element for providing an indication of the railcar number or the tonnage.

119. The apparatus of claim 106 wherein the railway system comprises a lead locomotive consist and a non-lead locomotive consist and intermediate railcars, the third element providing an indication of the slack condition of the railcars between the lead locomotive consist and the non-lead locomotive consist, and a fourth element providing an indication of the slack condition of the railcars trailing the non-lead locomotive consist.

120. The apparatus of claim 106 wherein the railway system comprises a locomotive and a railcar, and wherein the first element determines the slack condition responsive to a detected change in velocity with time or a detected change in acceleration with time of the locomotive or of the railcar, the apparatus further comprising an indicating element for providing a visual or aural indication of the slack condition and changes in the slack condition responsive to a change in velocity or a change in acceleration.

121. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a third element for providing a railway system operator with a visual or aural advisory to apply tractive effort or braking effort responsive the slack condition.

122. The apparatus of claim 106 wherein the slack condition comprises a run-in or a run-out slack condition.

123. The apparatus of claim 106 wherein the third element provides a real time indication of a location of the run-in or the run-out slack condition on the railway system.

124. The apparatus of claim 106 wherein the third element displays a representation of the railway system and an indication of the slack condition at locations on the railway system.

125. The apparatus of claim 124 wherein the slack condition comprises one or more of coupler forces, current slack events, impeding slack events and the slack condition for sub-trains of the railway system.

126. The apparatus of claim 106 wherein the third element indicates a location on the railway system where a transient slack condition is expected to occur.

127. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the railway system comprises a locomotive and a railcar, and wherein the first element determines the slack condition responsive to a detected change in velocity with time or a detected change in acceleration with time of the locomotive or of the railcar.

128. The apparatus of claim 127 wherein the first element determines changes in locomotive axle acceleration with time.

129. The apparatus of claim 127 further comprising an upper and a lower limit for use in analyzing the effects on the railway system of the detected change in velocity with time or the detected change in acceleration with time.

130. The apparatus of claim 129 wherein the upper and the lower limit are responsive to locomotive and railcar characteristics, including one or more of mass, mass distribution, length, applied power, applied braking, track grade.

131. The apparatus of claim 129 wherein the upper and the lower limits are fixed values.

132. The apparatus of claim 129 wherein the upper and the lower limits are responsive to statistically determined characteristics of the railway system.

133. The apparatus of claim 127 wherein a sign of the change in velocity or a sign of the change in acceleration indicates a direction of a change in slack condition.

134. The apparatus of claim 127 wherein the railway system comprises a first and a second locomotive wherein the first element determines the slack condition responsive to a detected change in velocity with time or a detected change in acceleration with time of the first or the second locomotive.

135. The apparatus of claim 134 wherein the first and the second locomotives comprise a lead locomotive and a trailing locomotive of a locomotive consist or a lead locomotive and a remote locomotive of a distributed power train.

136. The apparatus of claim 127 further comprising a third element for comparing the detected change in velocity with time or the detected change in acceleration with time with a predicted change in velocity with time or a predicted change in acceleration with time, the predicted changes responsive to the application of tractive effort and braking effort by the second element.

137. The apparatus of claim 127 wherein a slack event occurs responsive to a detected change in velocity with time greater than a first threshold or responsive to a detected change in acceleration with time, and wherein the railway system is controlled responsive to the slack event and a current operating condition of the railway system.

138. The apparatus of claim 137 wherein if the current operating condition is not an overspeed condition when a slack event occurs, the railway system is controlled to maintain a current tractive effort for a determined period of time or for a determined travel distance.

139. The apparatus of claim 137 wherein if the current operating condition is not an overspeed condition when a slack event occurs, the railway system is controlled to limit a rate at which tractive effort is applied to a determined rate and to limit a rate at which braking effort is applied to a determined rate.

140. The apparatus of claim 127 wherein the slack condition comprises a run-in or a run-out slack condition.

157. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first element determines railway system acceleration and drag and further determines a relationship between the acceleration and drag and a current track profile from which the slack condition is determined.

56. An apparatus for determining a slack condition of a railway vehicle of a railway system, the railway vehicle traversing a track segment, the apparatus comprising:

a first element for identifying planned applications of tractive effort and braking effort for the railway vehicle while traversing the track segment;

a second element for determining the slack condition at one or more locations on the track segment in advance of the railway vehicle traversing the track segment responsive to the planned applications of tractive effort and braking effort; and

a third element for redetermining the slack condition at the one or more locations responsive to deviations from the planned applications of tractive effort and braking effort.

57. The apparatus of claim 56 further comprising a regulator element for determining deviations from the planned speed trajectory and for controlling the railway vehicle to minimize the deviations.

58. The apparatus of claim 57 wherein the regulator element controls the railway vehicle to minimize the deviations responsive to the determined slack condition.

65. The apparatus of clam 8 wherein the railway system comprises one or more locomotives, a plurality of railcars and an end-of-train device, and wherein the first element determines the slack condition responsive to a distance between a locomotive and the end-of-train device or between one of the plurality of railcars and the end-of-train device.

66. The apparatus of claim 65 wherein the distance is determined responsive to a location of the locomotive and the end-of-train device or to a location of the one of the plurality of railcars and the end-of-train device, and wherein the location is determined according to a global positioning system or according to track-based location determining element.

67. The apparatus of claim 66 wherein a current distance between the locomotive and the end-of-train device or between the one of the plurality of railcars and the end-of-train device is compared with a previous distance between the locomotive and the end-of-train device or between the one of the plurality of railcars and the end-of-train device to determine a change in the slack condition.

68. The apparatus of clam 8 wherein the railway system comprises a locomotive, a plurality of railcars and an end-of-train device, and wherein the first element determines the slack condition responsive to a difference between a speed of the locomotive and a speed of the end-of-train device or responsive to a difference between an acceleration of the locomotive and an acceleration of the end-of-train device.

69. The apparatus of clam 8 wherein the railway system comprises a locomotive and a plurality of railcars, and wherein the first element determines the slack condition responsive to a difference between a speed of the locomotive and a speed of one of the railcars or responsive to a difference between an acceleration of the locomotive and an acceleration of one of the railcars.

87. An apparatus for determining coupler conditions for a railway system, the railway system comprising one or more locomotives and railcars, adjacent ones of the one or more locomotives and railcars linked by a closed coupler attached to each of the one or more locomotives and railcars, the apparatus comprising:

a first element for determining a natural acceleration of one or more railcars of the railway system, and

a second element for determining a common acceleration of the railway system and determining a relationship between the natural acceleration of a railcar and the common acceleration, wherein the relationship indicates a slack condition for the railcar.

88. The apparatus of claim 87 wherein the first element determines the natural acceleration of the one or more railcars responsive to a mass and a resistance of a railcar.

89. The apparatus of claim 87 wherein the second element determines a maximum and a minimum natural acceleration from among the natural acceleration determined for each railcar, and wherein the common acceleration greater than the maximum natural acceleration indicates the railway system is in a stretched slack condition, and wherein the common acceleration less then the minimum natural acceleration indicates the railway system is in a bunched slack condition, and wherein the common acceleration between the maximum and the minimum natural acceleration indicates the railway system is in an intermediate slack condition between the stretched condition and the bunched condition.

90. The apparatus of claim 89 wherein the intermediate slack condition is determined by a difference between the common acceleration and the maximum natural acceleration, between the common acceleration and the minimum natural acceleration or between the common acceleration and a combination of the natural acceleration of the one or more railcars.

91. The apparatus of claim 87 wherein the common acceleration comprises an acceleration of a lead locomotive.

92. The apparatus of claim 87 wherein the first element determines a predicted natural acceleration of the one or more railcars responsive to a predicted speed trajectory for the railway system, and wherein the second element determines a predicted common acceleration responsive to the predicted speed trajectory and determines a predicted slack condition responsive thereto.

93. The apparatus of claim 92 wherein the predicted slack condition is determined responsive to a difference between a predicted maximum natural acceleration among the railcars and the predicted common acceleration exceeding a first predetermined constant or responsive to a difference between a predicted minimum natural acceleration among the railcars and the predicted common acceleration less than a second predetermined constant.

94. The apparatus of claim 92 wherein the coupler slack condition is determined responsive to a time integration of a difference between a predicted maximum natural acceleration among the railcars and the predicted common acceleration exceeding a first predetermined constant or responsive to a time integration of a difference between a predicted minimum natural acceleration among the railcars and the predicted common acceleration less than a second predetermined constant.

95. The apparatus of claim 87 wherein the coupler slack condition is determined responsive to a difference between a maximum natural acceleration among the railcars and the common acceleration exceeding a first predetermined constant or responsive to a difference between a minimum natural acceleration among the railcars and the common acceleration less than a second predetermined constant.

96. The apparatus of claim 87 wherein the coupler slack condition is determined responsive to a time integration of a difference between a maximum natural acceleration among the railcars and the common acceleration exceeding a first predetermined constant or responsive to a time integration of a difference between a minimum natural acceleration among the railcars and the common acceleration less than a second predetermined constant.

97. The apparatus of claim 87 further comprising a tractive effort controller for applying tractive effort responsive to the slack condition and a braking effort controller responsive to the slack condition.

98. The apparatus of claim 87 wherein the natural acceleration and the common acceleration are functions of a determined confidence value.

99. The apparatus of claim 87 wherein the first element determines the natural acceleration of a plurality of adjacent railcars.

100. The apparatus of claim 87 wherein the railway system comprises a lead locomotive consist and a remote locomotive consist, and wherein the second element determines a common acceleration responsive to an actual acceleration of the lead locomotive consist and a common acceleration responsive to an actual acceleration of the remote locomotive consist, and wherein the second element further determines a slack condition of the railcars between the lead locomotive consist and the remote locomotive consist separately from the slack condition of the railcars trailing the remote locomotive consist.

101. The apparatus of claim 87 further comprising a display for displaying an indicia indicating a maximum and a minimum natural acceleration from among the natural acceleration determined for each railcar.

102. The apparatus of claim 101 the display for displaying the natural acceleration of each one of a plurality of the railcars.

103. The apparatus of claim 87 further comprising a third element for applying tractive effort responsive to the relationship, wherein the relationship is indicated by a value representing a ratio of the common acceleration and a maximum natural acceleration from among the natural acceleration determined for each railcar, and wherein the third element applies tractive effort according to the ratio.

104. The apparatus of claim 87 further comprising a third element for applying tractive effort responsive to the relationship between the common acceleration and a maximum natural acceleration from among the natural acceleration determined for each railcar and further responsive to a confidence value, wherein the confidence value is determined responsive to a difference between a calculated value of the natural acceleration of the one or more railcars and an actual value of the natural acceleration of the one or more railcars.

105. The apparatus of claim 87 wherein the slack condition comprises a run-in or a run-out slack condition.

141. An apparatus for determining coupler conditions for a railway system, the railway system comprising a lead vehicle consist, a non-lead vehicle consist and railcars, adjacent ones of vehicles and railcars linked by a coupler, the apparatus comprising:

a first element for determining an operating parameter of the lead vehicle consist and an operating parameter of the non-lead vehicle consist; and

a second element for determining a slack condition from the operating parameter of the lead vehicle consist and the operating parameter of the non-lead vehicle consist.

142. The apparatus of claim 141 wherein the operating parameter of the lead vehicle consist comprises an acceleration of the lead vehicle consist and the operating parameter of the non-lead vehicle consist comprises an acceleration of the non-lead vehicle consist, and wherein the slack condition is responsive to the acceleration of the lead vehicle consist and the acceleration of the non-lead vehicle consist greater than a natural acceleration of the railcars.

143. The apparatus of claim 141 wherein the operating parameter of the lead vehicle consist comprises an acceleration or a speed of the lead vehicle consist and the operating parameter of the non-lead vehicle consist comprises a respective acceleration or speed of the non-lead vehicle consist, and wherein the second element determines the slack condition from a difference between the acceleration of the lead vehicle consist and the acceleration of the non-lead vehicle consist or from a difference between the speed of the lead vehicle consist and the speed of the non-lead vehicle consist.

144. The apparatus of claim 141 wherein the operating parameter of the lead vehicle consist and the non-lead vehicle consist comprises a change in distance between the lead vehicle consist and the non-lead vehicle consist over time.

145. The apparatus of claim 141 further comprising a third element for determining coupler characteristics responsive to the operating parameter comprising a distance between the lead vehicle consist and the non-lead vehicle consist and further responsive to a tractive effort applied by the lead vehicle consist and a tractive effort applied by the non-lead vehicle consist.

146. The apparatus of claim 141 wherein the lead vehicle consist comprises one or more locomotives and the non-lead vehicle consist comprises one or more locomotives or an end-of-train device.

147. The apparatus of claim 141 wherein the railcars between the lead and non-lead vehicle consists comprise a first railcar group and a second railcar group, and wherein railcars of the first railcar group experience first forces responsive to the application of tractive effort and braking effort by the lead vehicle consist and railcars of the second railcar group experience second forces responsive to the application of tractive effort and braking effort by the non-lead vehicle consist, and wherein the second element determines a slack condition of the railcars of the first railcar group and a slack condition of the railcars of the second railcar group.

148. The apparatus of claim 147 wherein slack condition is determined responsive to an acceleration of the lead and non-lead vehicle consist greater than a natural acceleration of the railcars.

149. The apparatus of claim 147 wherein a transition point is defined between the first railcar group and the second railcar group, wherein tractive effort and braking effort applied by the lead vehicle consist and the non-lead vehicle consist shift railcars between the first railcar group and the second railcar group shifting the location of the transition point, wherein the tractive effort and the braking effort applied by the lead vehicle consist and the non-lead vehicle consist are controlled to limit a velocity at which the transition point moves.

150. The apparatus of claim 147 wherein tractive effort and braking effort are applied by the lead or the non-lead vehicle consist to control the slack condition of the first railcar group or the slack condition of the second railcar group.

151. The apparatus of claim 150 wherein one of the slack condition of the first railcar group or the slack condition of the second railcar group is a more unstable condition than the other, and wherein the tractive effort and the braking effort are applied by the lead or the non-lead vehicle consist in an effort to stabilize the more unstable condition.

152. The apparatus of claim 151 wherein tractive effort and braking effort are applied by the lead or the non-lead vehicle consist responsive to a relationship between a mass of the first railcar group and a mass of the second railcar group.

153. An apparatus for determining coupler slack conditions for a railway system, the railway system comprising a lead vehicle consist, a non-lead vehicle consist and railcars, adjacent ones of vehicles and railcars linked by a coupler, the apparatus comprising:

a first element for determining a force exerted on a coupler, wherein the force is greater than an expected force; and

a second element for determining a slack condition or a change in a slack condition responsive to the force.

154. The apparatus of claim 153 wherein the force exerted on the coupler is in a segment of the train where the average force is expected to be relatively high.

155. An apparatus for controlling in-train forces of a railway system, comprising:

a first element for determining a slack condition of the entire system or of segments of the system;

a second element for controlling application of tractive effort and braking effort to control the slack condition to limit the in-system forces to an acceptable level; and

wherein the first element determines the distance between two spaced-apart locations on the railway system and determines the slack condition between the two spaced-apart locations from the distance.

156. The apparatus of claim 155 wherein the first element comprises a geographical location element for determining the geographical location of the two spaced-apart locations on the train.

158. An apparatus for controlling a railway system, comprising:

a first element for determining a current state of the railway system;

a second element for determining an expected state of the railway system; and

a third element for determining a difference between the current state and the expected state.

159. The apparatus of claim 158 further comprising a fourth element providing a visual or an aural indicia responsive to the difference.

160. The apparatus of claim 158 further comprising a fourth element responsive to the third element for controlling the railway system responsive to the difference.

161. The apparatus of claim 160 wherein the first, second, third and fourth elements operate as a closed loop control system for controlling the railway system.

162. The apparatus of claim 160 wherein the fourth element controls application of tractive effort or braking effort responsive to the difference.

163. The apparatus of claim 158 wherein the railway system comprises a lead vehicle consist, a non-lead vehicle consist and railcars, the apparatus further comprising a fourth element responsive to the third element for shifting application of tractive effort or braking effort between the lead vehicle consist and the non-lead vehicle consist responsive to the difference.

164. The apparatus of claim 158 wherein the current state comprises one or more of current run-in, current run-out, current coupler forces, current slack condition, current axle jerk, current speed and current acceleration

165. The apparatus of claim 158 wherein the second element determines the expected state responsive to tractive effort and braking effort applications, railway system characteristics and external forces exerted on the railway system, and wherein the expected state comprises one or more of expected run-in, expected run-out, expected coupler forces, expected slack condition, expected jerk effects, expected speed and expected acceleration

166. The apparatus of claim 158 wherein the first element determines the current state responsive to coupler forces, coupler motion, train characteristics, track profile, distributed train weight, track grade, environmental conditions, rail friction, wind velocity and direction, applied tractive effort, applied braking effort, brake pipe pressure, natural acceleration parameters, velocity change, acceleration change, historical tractive effort, historical braking effort, railway system speed, railway system acceleration, application of sand to rails, isolation of railway system locomotives and flange lubrication applications.

167. The apparatus of claim 158 wherein the first element determines the current state of one of a train of the railway system or a train segment of the railway system, the apparatus further comprising a fourth element responsive to the third element for controlling the train or the train segment responsive to the difference.

168. The apparatus of claim 158 wherein the first element determines the current state at a current time responsive to a determined state at a previous time and control actions or external forces exerted on the railway system between the previous time and the current time.

169. The apparatus of claim 158 wherein the control actions comprise application of tractive or braking efforts and the external forces comprise forces exerted by a track grade.

170. An apparatus for controlling a railway system, comprising:

a first element for determining a slack condition of the railway system and a range of uncertainty of the determined slack condition; and

a second element for controlling the application of tractive effort or the application of braking effort to the railway system responsive to the slack condition and the range of uncertainty.

171. The apparatus of claim 170 wherein the second element controls the application of tractive effort or the application of braking effort responsive to one or more of the location, duration, magnitude, direction of propagation, rate of propagation with respect to time and the rate of propagation with respect to distance along the railway system.

172. The apparatus of claim 170 wherein the range of uncertainty is responsive to system movement parameters and system characteristics.

173. An apparatus for controlling a railroad train comprising one or more locomotive consists each having one or more trailing railcars, the railroad train having an operator in one of the locomotive consists:

a first element for supplying train characteristics;

a second element for supplying train movement parameters;

a third element for determining a slack condition from at least one of the train characteristics and the train movement parameters;

a fourth element for applying tractive effort or braking effort responsive to the slack condition;

the operator having the ability to override the slack condition determined by the third element and to override the application of tractive effort or the application of braking effort applied by the fourth element; and

a display for providing slack condition information.

174. An method for operating a railway system, the railway system comprising a lead vehicle consist, a non-lead vehicle consist and railcars, the method comprising:

determining a slack condition of railway system segments, wherein the segments are delineated by nodes; and

controlling an application of tractive effort or braking effort of at least one of the railway system, the lead vehicle consist, and the non-lead vehicle consist.

175. The method of claim 174 wherein the controlling step further comprises automatically controlling at least one of the railway system, the lead vehicle consist, and the non-lead vehicle consist.

176. The method of claim 174 wherein the control step further comprises providing advisory information about train control for at least one of the railway system, the lead vehicle consist, and the non-lead vehicle consist.

177. A method for determining a slack condition of a railway system, comprising:

determining railway system operating parameters;

determining an equivalent grade from the operating parameters;

determining an actual track grade over which the railway system is traversing; and

determining a slack condition from the equivalent grade and the actual track grade.

178. The method of claim 177 further comprising integrating the equivalent grade with respect to distance along the railway system for determining a location on the railway system where a slack condition change occurs.

179. The method of claim 178 wherein the railway system operating parameters comprise forces acting on the train except forces due to a track configuration.

180. The method of claim 178 wherein the railway system operating parameters comprise one or more of acceleration, speed, weight distribution and drag.

181. A method for controlling a railway system, comprising:

determining previous tractive effort and braking effort applications over a track segment;

determining a slack condition of the track segment responsive to the previous tractive effort or braking effort applications; and

controlling a railway system later traversing the track segment according to determined previous tractive effort and braking effort applications over the track segment.

182. The method of claim 181 wherein the railway system comprises a lead vehicle and one or more non-lead vehicles or and end-of-system device, and wherein the railway system segments are bounded by the lead vehicle and the one or more non-lead vehicles or by one or more of the non-lead vehicles and the end-of-system device.

183. The method of claim 181 wherein the step of determining the slack condition further comprises determining a degree of uncertainty associated with the slack condition.

184. The method of claim 181 wherein the step of controlling the railway system is further responsive to railway system characteristics affecting a slack condition of the railway system later traversing the track segment.

185. The method of claim 181 wherein the step of determining a slack condition further comprises determining the slack condition at a forward track position ahead of the railway system'"'"'s current position responsive to a current slack condition, railway system characteristics and the tractive effort to be applied between the railway system'"'"'s current position and the forward track position.

186. A method for determining in-system forces of a railway system, wherein the railway system comprises one or more motive power vehicles and a plurality of railcars, the method comprising:

determining a distance between two vehicles, between a vehicle and a railcar or between two railcars at a first time and at a second time; and

determining a slack condition of the entire railway system or of railway system segments responsive to determined distances between two vehicles, between a vehicle and a railcar or between two railcars.

187. The method of claim 186 wherein the step of determining the distance comprises determining a location of the two vehicles, a location of the vehicle and the railcar or a location of the two railcars according to a global positioning system or according to track-based location determining element, and determining the distance between the two vehicles, between the vehicle and the railcar or between the two railcars responsive thereto.

189. The method of claim 186 wherein the railway system further comprises an end-of-system device, and wherein the step of determining the distance further comprises determining the distance between one of the vehicles and the end-of-system device or between one of the railcars and the end-of-system device, and wherein the step of determining the slack condition is responsive to the distance between one of the vehicles and the end-of-system device or between one of the railcars and the end-of-system device at the first and the second times.

190. The method of claim 189 wherein the step of determining the distance further comprises determining a location of the vehicle and the end-of-system device or a location of the railcar and the end-of-system device and determining the distance from the location.

191. The method of claim 190 wherein the location is determined according to a global positioning system or according to track-based location determining element.

188. The method of claim O2 wherein the step of determining the slack condition further comprises comparing the distance determined at the first time and the distance determined at the second time.

192. A method for determining in-system forces of a railway system, wherein the railway system comprises one or more vehicles and railcars, an adjacent vehicle and railcar and adjacent railcars linked by a coupler, the method comprising:

determining a sign of forces exerted on a coupler; and

determining a slack condition of the coupler from the sign of the forces.

193. The method of claim 192 further comprising determining a force exerted on the coupler or a change in the force exerted on the coupler for determining an impending change in the slack condition.

194. The method of claim 192 further comprising determining a change in the force exerted on two successive couplers to determine a slack event magnitude between the two successive couplers.

195. The method of claim 194 wherein the force comprises a forward-directed force, a reverse directed force and a resistance force.

196. The method of claim 192 wherein the step of determining the sign of the forces further comprises determining at least one of a rate of change of a coupler force and a direction of a change of a coupler force to determine a change in the slack condition.

197. A method for determining coupler conditions for a railway system, the railway system comprising one or more vehicles and railcars, adjacent one or more motive power vehicles and railcars linked by a coupler, the method comprising:

determining a natural acceleration of one or more railcars of the train,

determining a common acceleration of the train; and

determining a relationship between the natural acceleration of a railcar and the common acceleration, wherein the relationship indicates a slack condition for the railcar.

198. The method of claim 197 wherein the step of determining the natural acceleration further comprises determining the natural acceleration of the one or more railcars responsive to a mass and a resistance of a railcar.

199. The method of claim 197 wherein the step of determining the natural acceleration further comprises determining the natural acceleration of each railcar and determining a maximum and a minimum natural acceleration therefrom, and wherein the common acceleration greater than the maximum natural acceleration indicates the train is in a stretched slack condition, and wherein the common acceleration less then the minimum natural acceleration indicates the train is in a bunched slack condition, and wherein the common acceleration between the maximum and the minimum natural acceleration indicates the train is in an intermediate slack condition between the stretched condition and the bunched condition.

200. The method of claim 197 wherein the common acceleration comprises an acceleration of a lead vehicle.

201. The method of claim 197 wherein the step of determining the natural acceleration further comprises determining a predicted natural acceleration of one or more railcars responsive to a predicted speed trajectory for the train, and wherein the step of determining the relationship further comprises determining a predicted coupler condition.

202. The method of claim 201 wherein the step of determining the predicted slack condition further comprises determining the predicted natural acceleration responsive to a difference between a predicted maximum natural acceleration among the railcars and the predicted common acceleration exceeding a first predetermined constant or responsive to a difference between a predicted minimum natural acceleration among the railcars and the predicted common acceleration less than a second predetermined constant.

203. The method of claim 201 wherein the step of determining the coupler slack condition further comprises time integrating a difference between a predicted maximum natural acceleration among the railcars and the predicted common acceleration and determining whether a time integral exceeds a first predetermined constant or time integrating a difference between a predicted minimum natural acceleration among the railcars and the predicted common acceleration and determining whether the time integral is less than a second predetermined constant.

204. The method of claim 197 wherein the step of determining the coupler slack condition further comprises determining a difference between a maximum natural acceleration among the railcars and the common acceleration exceeding a first predetermined constant or responsive to a difference between a minimum natural acceleration among the railcars and the common acceleration less than a second predetermined constant to determine the coupler slack condition.

205. The method of claim 197 wherein the step of determining the coupler slack condition further comprises determining whether a time integral of a difference between a maximum natural acceleration among the railcars and the common acceleration exceeds a first predetermined constant or whether a time integral of a difference between a minimum natural acceleration among the railcars and the common acceleration is less than a second predetermined constant to determine the coupler slack condition.

206. A method for determining coupler conditions for a railway system, the railway system comprising one or more motive-power vehicles and railcars, adjacent one or more vehicles and railcars linked by a coupler, the method comprising:

determining a rate of change of an acceleration or of a velocity experienced by one of the vehicles or one of the railcars;

determining whether the rate of change is responsive to the application of tractive effort or braking effort applied by one of the vehicles; and

determining the coupler conditions if the rate of change is not responsive to the application of tractive effort or braking effort applied by one of the vehicles.

207. The method of claim 206 wherein the step (c) further comprises determining the coupler conditions if the rate of change is not responsive to the application of tractive effort or braking effort applied by one of the vehicles and exceeds a threshold value.

208. A computer program product for determining a slack condition of a railway system, comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code modules embodied in the medium for determining the slack condition;

a first computer readable program code module for determining railway system operating parameters;

a second computer readable program code module for determining an equivalent grade from the operating parameters;

a third computer readable program code module for determining an actual track grade over which the railway system is traversing; and

a fourth computer readable program code module for determining a slack condition from the equivalent grade and the actual track grade.

209. A computer program produce for determining in-system forces of a railway system, comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code modules embodied in the medium for determining the in-system forces;

a first computer readable program code module for determining previous tractive effort and braking effort applications; and

a second computer readable program code module for determining a slack condition of the entire railway system or of railway system segments responsive to the previous tractive effort or braking effort applications.

210. A computer program product for determining in-system forces of a railway system, wherein the railway system comprises one or more motive power vehicles and a plurality of railcars, the computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code modules embodied in the medium for determining the in-system forces;

a first computer readable program code module for determining a distance between two vehicles, between a vehicle and a railcar or between two railcars at a first time and at a second time; and

a second computer readable program code module for determining a slack condition of the entire railway system or of railway system segments responsive to determined distances between the two vehicles, between the vehicle and the railcar or between the two railcars.

211. A computer program product for determining a slack condition of a railway system, wherein the railway system comprises one or more vehicles and railcars, an adjacent vehicle and railcar and adjacent railcars linked by a coupler, the computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code modules embodied in the medium for determining the slack condition;

a first computer readable program code module for determining a sign of forces exerted on a coupler; and

a second computer readable program code module for determining a slack condition of the coupler from the sign of the forces.

212. A computer program product for determining coupler conditions for a railway system, the railway system comprising one or more vehicles and railcars, adjacent one or more motive power vehicles and railcars linked by a coupler, the computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code modules embodied in the medium for determining the slack condition;

a first computer readable program code module for determining a natural acceleration of one or more railcars of the train, and a second computer readable program code module for determining a common acceleration of the train; and

a third computer readable program code module for determining a relationship between the natural acceleration of a railcar and the common acceleration, wherein the relationship indicates a slack condition for the railcar.

213. A computer program product for determining coupler conditions for a railway system, the railway system comprising one or more motive-power vehicles and railcars, adjacent one or more vehicles and railcars linked by a coupler, the computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code modules embodied in the medium for determining the coupler conditions;

a first computer readable program code module for determining a rate of change of an acceleration or of a velocity experienced by one of the vehicles or one of the railcars;

a second computer readable program code module for determining whether the rate of change is responsive to the application of tractive effort or braking effort applied by one of the vehicles; and

a third computer readable program code module for determining the coupler conditions if the rate of change is not responsive to the application of tractive effort or braking effort applied by one of the vehicles.

214. A computer program product for controlling a railway system, comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code modules embodied in the medium for determining at least one of previous tractive effort and braking effort applications over a track segment;

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code modules embodied in the medium for determining a slack condition of the track segment responsive to the previous tractive effort or braking effort applications; and

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code modules embodied in the medium for controlling a railway system later traversing the track segment according to determined previous tractive effort and braking effort applications over the track segment.

215. A computer program product for determining coupler conditions for a railway system, the railway system comprising one or more motive-power vehicles and railcars, adjacent one or more vehicles and railcars linked by a coupler, the computer program product comprising:

computer usable medium having computer readable program code modules embodied in the medium for determining a rate of change of an acceleration or of a velocity experienced by one of the vehicles or one of the railcars;

computer usable medium having computer readable program code modules embodied in the medium for determining whether the rate of change is responsive to the application of tractive effort or braking effort applied by one of the vehicles; and

computer usable medium having computer readable program code modules embodied in the medium for determining the coupler conditions if the rate of change is not responsive to the application of tractive effort or braking effort applied by one of the vehicles.

216. An computer program product for operating a railway system, the railway system comprising a lead vehicle consist, a non-lead vehicle consist and railcars, the computer program product comprising:

computer usable medium having computer readable program code modules embodied in the medium for determining a slack condition of railway system segments, wherein the segments are delineated by nodes; and

computer usable medium having computer readable program code modules embodied in the medium for controlling an application of tractive effort or braking effort of at least one of the railway system, the lead vehicle consist, and the non-lead vehicle consist.