Lead locomotive control of power output by trailing locomotives

1. A locomotive consist, comprising:

a lead locomotive;

at least one trailing locomotive;

each of the lead locomotive and the at least one trailing locomotive including an engine, a generator, a traction motor, a power bus electrically connecting the generator to the traction motor, and a power bus electrical characteristics sensor for detecting at least one of voltage or current in the power bus;

a lead controller associated with the lead locomotive of the consist;

at least one secondary controller associated with each of the at least one trailing locomotive and communicatively coupled by a communication link with the lead controller;

the lead controller configured to:

receive data from the power bus electrical characteristics sensor associated with each locomotive, the data including information on at least one of a voltage or a current being output by the generator associated with each locomotive;

determine a total electrical power output requirement for the consist;

determine an electrical power output requirement for each locomotive in the consist based at least in part on an operating condition of each locomotive in the consist and the data from the power bus electrical characteristics sensor associated with each locomotive and the total electrical power output requirement for the consist;

compare the electrical power output requirement for each locomotive in the consist to the electrical power output requirement for other locomotives in the consist; and

supply instructions in the form of high bandwidth signals indicative of adjustments to rotor field currents of at least one of the generators associated with a locomotive to change electrical power output from the at least one generator to the power bus electrically connecting the at least one generator to the traction motor associated with the locomotive to a desired electrical power output that may fall anywhere within a rated capacity of the at least one generator based on the comparison.

2. A locomotive consist control system for a locomotive consist including a lead locomotive and at least one trailing locomotive, each locomotive including an engine, a generator, a traction motor, a power bus electrically connecting the generator to the traction motor, and a power bus electrical characteristics sensor for detecting at least one of voltage or current in the power bus, the locomotive consist control system comprising:

a lead controller associated with the lead locomotive of the consist;

a secondary controller associated with each of the at least one trailing locomotive of the consist and communicatively coupled by a communication link with the lead controller;

the lead controller configured to:

receive data from the power bus electrical characteristics sensor associated with each locomotive, the data including information on at least one of a voltage or a current being output by the generator associated with each locomotive;

determine a total electrical power output requirement for the consist;

determine an electrical power output requirement for each locomotive in the consist based at least in part on an operating condition of each locomotive in the consist and the data from the power bus electrical characteristics sensor associated with each locomotive and the total electrical power output requirement for the consist;

compare the electrical power output requirement for each locomotive in the consist to the electrical power output requirement for other locomotives in the consist; and

supply instructions to dynamically adjust at least one of an output voltage or a current generated by the generator associated with each locomotive to a desired voltage or current that may fall anywhere within a rated capacity of the generator based on the comparison.

3. The locomotive consist control system of claim 1 , wherein the lead controller is configured to supply instructions to dynamically adjust at least one of an output voltage or a current generated by each of the generators automatically based on data received from one or more of a look-up table and a map.

4. The locomotive consist control system of claim 2 , wherein the lead controller is configured to supply instructions in the form of modulated, high bandwidth signals indicative of adjustments to rotor field currents of at least one of the generators associated with a locomotive to change electrical power output from the at least one generator to the power bus electrically connecting the at least one generator to the traction motor associated with the locomotive.

5. The locomotive consist control system of claim 2 , wherein the lead controller is configured to supply instructions to dynamically adjust at least one of an output voltage or a current generated by each of the generators based on instructions received from an operator.

6. The locomotive consist control system of claim 2 , wherein the lead controller is further configured to dynamically coordinate infinitely adjustable voltage outputs or current outputs from each generator to maintain a substantially constant puffing power generated by the consist.

7. The locomotive consist control system of claim 2 , wherein the lead controller is configured to send a command for a particular one of the at least one trailing locomotive to isolate itself from the consist by going electrically offline when that particular one of the at least one trailing locomotive is not needed to meet the total electrical power output requirement for the consist.

8. The locomotive consist control system of claim 2 , wherein the lead controller is further configured to determine the total electrical power output requirement for the consist based at least in part on upcoming track data.

9. The locomotive consist control system of claim 2 , wherein the operating condition of each locomotive in the consist includes a fuel level for each locomotive.

10. The locomotive consist control system of claim 2 , wherein the operating condition of each locomotive in the consist includes at least one of an age and a level of wear of each locomotive.

11. The locomotive consist control system of claim 7 , wherein the secondary controller associated with the particular one of the at least one trailing locomotive that has isolated itself from the consist is configured to ignore any instructions from the lead controller and to commence automatic engine startup and shut-down based on instructions received from an automatic engine start-stop (AESS) system on the isolated trailing locomotive completely independently from any command received from lead controller.

12. A method of controlling a plurality of locomotives in a consist, the consist including a lead locomotive, a lead controller associated with the lead locomotive, at least one trailing locomotive, and at least one secondary controller associated with each of the at least one trailing locomotive, each locomotive including an engine, a generator, a traction motor, a power bus electrically connecting the generator to the traction motor, and a power bus electrical characteristics sensor for detecting at least one of voltage or current in the power bus, the method comprising:

receiving data at the lead controller from the power bus electrical characteristics sensor associated with each locomotive, the data including information on at least one of a voltage or a current being output by the generator associated with each locomotive;

determining by the lead controller a total electrical power output requirement for the consist;

determining by the lead controller an electrical power output requirement for each locomotive in the consist based at least in part on an operating condition of each locomotive in the consist and the data from the power bus electrical characteristics sensor associated with each locomotive and the total electrical power output requirement for the consist;

comparing the electrical power output requirement for each locomotive in the consist to the electrical power output requirement for other locomotives in the consist; and

supplying instructions from the lead controller to dynamically adjust at least one of an output voltage or an output current generated by the generator associated with each locomotive to a desired voltage or current that may fall anywhere within a rated capacity of the generator based on the comparison.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the lead controller supplies instructions to dynamically adjust at least one of an output voltage or an output current generated by each of the generators automatically based on data received from one or more of a look-up table and a map.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the lead controller supplies instructions in the form of modulated, high bandwidth signals indicative of adjustments to rotor field currents of at least one of the generators associated with a locomotive to reduce electrical power output from the at least one generator to the power bus electrically connecting the at least one generator to the traction motor associated with the locomotive.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the lead controller dynamically coordinates at least one of infinitely adjustable voltage outputs or current outputs from each generator to maintain a substantially constant pulling power generated by the consist.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the lead controller sends a command for a particular one of the at least one trailing locomotive to isolate itself from the consist by going electrically offline when that particular one of the at least one trailing locomotive is not needed to meet the total electrical power output requirement for the consist.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the lead controller determines the total electrical power output requirement for the consist based at least in part on upcoming track data.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the operating condition of each locomotive in the consist includes a fuel level for each locomotive.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the operating condition of each locomotive in the consist includes at least one of an age and a level of wear of each locomotive.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the secondary controller associated with the particular one of the at least one trailing locomotive that has isolated itself from the consist ignores any instructions from the lead controller and commences automatic engine start-up and shut-down based on instructions received from an automatic engine start-stop (AESS) system on the isolated trailing locomotive completely independently from any command received from lead controller.