Vehicle control system

A vehicle control system comprising:

• a sensor configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle system and monitor a voltage conducted along a conductive pathway extending along a route while the vehicle system moves along the route, the sensor configured to monitor the voltage conducted along the conductive pathway that also powers a propulsion system of the vehicle system via a collector device of the vehicle system;
• and
• a controller configured to identify a conduction impaired segment of the conductive pathway based on the voltage that is monitored by the sensor, the controller configured to control the collector device or a removal device to remove a contaminant on the conductive pathway in response to identifying the conduction impaired segment of the conductive pathway, wherein the collector device or the removal device is controlled by raising the collector device or the removal device to an upper determined position to engage the conductive pathway above and away from the vehicle system or lowering the collector device or the removal device to a lower determined position to engage the conductive pathway below and away from the vehicle system, the collector device or the removal device being raised or lowered to mechanically scrape or perturb the contaminant on the conductive pathway and thereby remove at least a portion of the contaminant from the conductive pathway.