Vehicle braking control system

1 . A braking control system for a vehicle system, comprising:

a first control circuit configured to:

receive a first signal indicative of a requested snow-braking application; and

generate a snow-braking application command responsive to receiving the first signal; and

a second control circuit configured to:

receive the snow-braking application command from the first control circuit;

control at least one braking device to apply the requested snow-braking application to the vehicle system, responsive to receiving the snow-braking application command;

wherein the first control circuit is further configured to:

receive an actual braking signal that is indicative of an actual braking that is applied by the at least one braking device to the vehicle system in response to the snow-braking application command generated by the first control circuit;

compare the actual braking that is indicated by the actual braking signal with the requested snow-braking application; and

determine that the requested snow-braking application has not been properly applied when the actual braking indicated by the actual braking signal does not correspond with the requested snow-braking application.

2 . The braking control system of claim 1 , wherein the first control circuit is further configured to:

responsive to determining that the requested snow-braking application has not been properly applied, generate a fault signal indicative that the requested snow-braking application has not been properly applied, and/or generate an emergency braking request signal for emergency braking of the vehicle system.

3 . The braking control system of claim 1 , wherein the first control circuit is implemented according to a first safety integrity level and the second control circuit is implemented according to a second safety integrity level, wherein the first safety integrity level is greater than the second safety integrity level.

4 . The braking control system of claim 1 , wherein the first control circuit is distinct from the second control circuit.

5 . The braking control system of claim 1 , wherein the first control circuit and the second control circuit are comprised in a single control unit.

6 . The braking control system of claim 1 , wherein the first control circuit is configured to determine that the actual braking as indicated by the actual braking signal does not correspond with the requested snow-braking application when:

a first actual braking application intensity value differs from a second requested snow-braking application intensity value by at least a designated braking application intensity difference value; and/or

a first actual braking application duration differs from a second requested snow-braking application duration by at least a designated braking application duration difference.

7 . The braking control system of claim 1 , wherein the first control circuit is also configured to control the application of emergency braking of the vehicle system.

8 . The braking control system of claim 1 , wherein the second control circuit is also configured to control the application of service braking of the vehicle system.

9 . The braking control system of claim 1 , wherein the first control circuit is configured to receive, via a communication system of the vehicle system, the first signal indicative of the requested snow-braking application from a third control circuit;

and wherein the communication system is configured for wired communications and/or wireless communications.

10 . The braking control system of claim 9 , wherein the third control circuit is configured to forward the first signal to the first control circuit when:

a driver of the vehicle system operates a designated snow-braking controller.

11 . The braking control system of claim 9 , wherein the third control circuit is configured to forward the first signal to the first control circuit when:

a monitoring system determines that there is ice and/or snow on the at least one braking device, or on a wheel of the vehicle system, or on a braking component associated with the wheel of the vehicle system or associated with an axle coupled to the wheel of the vehicle system.

12 . The braking control system of claim 9 , wherein the third control circuit is configured to forward the first signal to the first control circuit when:

a temperature sensor measures a temperature outside the vehicle system that is below a designated temperature threshold.

13 . A rail vehicle comprising the at least one braking device and the braking control system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one braking device is operably coupled to one or more of a wheel of the rail vehicle or an axle of the rail vehicle.

14 . A vehicle system comprising:

a braking system; and

a braking control system comprising:

a first control circuit configured to:

receive a first signal indicative of a requested snow-braking application; and

generate a snow-braking application command responsive to receiving the first signal; and

a second control circuit configured to:

receive the snow-braking application command from the first control circuit;

control the braking system to apply the requested snow-braking application to the vehicle system, responsive to receiving the snow-braking application command;

wherein the first control circuit is further configured to:

receive an actual braking signal that is indicative of an actual braking that is applied by the braking system to the vehicle system in response to the snow-braking application command generated by the first control circuit;

compare the actual braking that is indicated by the actual braking signal with the requested snow-braking application; and

determine that the requested snow-braking application has not been properly applied when the actual braking indicated by the actual braking signal does not correspond with the requested snow-braking application.

15 . A braking control system for a vehicle system, comprising:

a first control circuit configured to:

receive a first signal indicative of a requested braking application for mitigating ice and/or snow on one or more of a wheel of the vehicle system or a braking component associated with the wheel of the vehicle system or associated with an axle coupled to the wheel of the vehicle system; and

generate a second, command signal responsive to receiving the first signal; and

a second control circuit configured to:

receive the command signal from the first control circuit;

control a braking system of the vehicle system to apply a first designated degree of braking to the vehicle system to mitigate the ice and/or snow, responsive to receiving the command signal;

wherein the first control circuit is further configured to:

receive an actual braking signal that is indicative of an actual degree of braking that is applied by the braking system to the vehicle system in response to the command signal;

compare the actual degree of braking with the designated degree of braking; and

determine that the requested braking application has not been properly applied when the actual degree of braking does not correspond with the designated degree of braking.

16 . The braking control system of claim 15 , wherein the first control circuit is further configured, responsive to determining that the requested braking application has not been properly applied, to (i) generate a fault signal indicative that the requested braking application has not been properly applied, (ii) generate an emergency braking request signal for emergency braking of the vehicle system, and/or (iii) generate an additional command signal for the second control circuit to control the braking system to apply a second designated degree of braking to the vehicle system that is greater than the first designated degree of braking.

17 . The braking control system of claim 15 , wherein the braking system comprises plural braking units respectively operably coupled to plural vehicles of the vehicle system.

18 . The braking control system of claim 15 , wherein the designated degree of braking includes at least one of a designated braking force or a designated braking duration, and the first control circuit is configured to determine that the requested braking application has not been properly applied when: an actual braking force of the actual degree of braking does not correspond with the designated braking force within a designated force threshold; and/or an actual braking duration of the actual degree of braking does not correspond with the designated braking duration within a designated time threshold.

19 . The braking control system of claim 18 , wherein the first control circuit is further configured, responsive to determining that the requested braking application has not been properly applied, to (i) generate a fault signal indicative that the requested braking application has not been properly applied, (ii) generate an emergency braking request signal for emergency braking of the vehicle system, and/or (iii) generate an additional command signal for the second control circuit to control the braking system to apply a second designated degree of braking to the vehicle system that is greater than the first designated degree of braking.

20 . A rail vehicle system having one or more rail vehicles coupled together to travel along a track, wherein the rail vehicle system comprises the braking control system of claim 15 .