Method for managing power consumption of a railway vehicle, and railway vehicle with improved power consumption management

A method for managing power consumption of a railway vehicle receiving electrical energy from an energy supply line comprising an overhead line or a rail for supplying the electrical energy to the railway vehicle from at least one substation, the railway vehicle having at least one traction motor, a plurality of auxiliary devices, each auxiliary device having a control unit and being an electrical power consumer, and a train control and monitoring system (TCMS) having a central control unit operationally connected with the control unit of each of the auxiliary devices, the method comprising:

• receiving, by the central control unit, information representing an amount of electrical traction power required for traction or generated by electrodynamic braking of the railway vehicle by the at least one traction motor based on a traction demand set by a driver of the railway vehicle;
• receiving, by the central control unit, information representing an amount of electrical auxiliary power demanded by auxiliary devices from the control units of the respective auxiliary devices;
• determining the total available electrical power for the railway vehicle which can be provided by the energy supply line, wherein determining the total available electrical power comprises receiving information, representing the total available electrical power, from a wayside by the train control and monitoring system;
• and
• prioritizing, by the central control unit, operation of the auxiliary devices based on the total available electrical power and the electrical traction power required for traction to selectively reduce consumption of electrical energy by all or selected auxiliary devices if a sum of the electrical traction power required for traction and the electrical auxiliary power demanded by auxiliary devices exceeds the total available electrical power supplied by the energy supply line.