Vehicle control system

A vehicle control system comprising:

• a controller having one or more processors configured to determine whether a ratio of a lateral force exerted by one or more wheels of a vehicle system on a route to a vertical force exerted by the one or more wheels of the vehicle system on the route increases to a value exceeding a designated threshold and to reduce the ratio of the lateral force to the vertical force exerted by the one or more wheels of the vehicle system on the route to a value less than the designated threshold by changing an operation of the vehicle system,
• wherein the operation of the vehicle system is changed by one or more of:
• changing a torque imparted on an axle of the vehicle system by one or more motors,
• changing a tractive effort generated by a motor-axle combination of the vehicle system
• changing a wheel creep of a set of wheels coupled with an axle of the vehicle system, or
• preventing application of a friction-modifying substance to the route by a wheel adhesion control system disposed onboard the vehicle system.

A method comprising:

• determining one or both of a route parameter of a route on which a vehicle system is moving and a vehicle parameter of the vehicle system;
• and
• in response to said determining, reducing a ratio of a lateral force exerted by one or more wheels of a vehicle system on the route to a vertical force exerted by the one or more wheels of the vehicle system on the route to a value less than a designated threshold,
• wherein operation of the vehicle system is changed by one or more of:
• changing a torque imparted on an axle of the vehicle system by one or more motors,
• changing a tractive effort generated by a motor-axle combination of the vehicle system,
• changing a wheel creep of a set of wheels coupled with an axle of the vehicle system, or
• preventing application of a friction-modifying substance to the route by a wheel adhesion control system disposed onboard the vehicle system.