System and Method for Adaptive Braking

A method of braking a plurality of rail cars of a train while travelling or moving on a mainline track, comprising:

• (a) a locomotive processor providing to each rail car processor of a first subset of the rail cars a braking command that is prepared exclusively for the rail car processor;
• (b) each rail car processor of the first subset of rail cars receiving the braking command provided to the rail car processor in step (a);
• (c) each rail car processor of the first subset of rail cars processing the braking command received in step (b);
• and
• (d) each rail car processor of the first subset of rail cars setting the brakes of its rail car to a level or percentage of braking included in the braking command processed in step (c) for the rail car processor, whereupon the brakes of each rail car of the first subset of rail cars are set to the same or a different percentage of braking than the brakes any other rail car of the first subset of rail cars.

A system for controlling braking of a plurality of rail cars of a train while travelling or moving on a mainline track, the system comprising:

• a rail car processor associated with each rail car, wherein each rail car processor, operating under the control of a rail car software program, is operative, in response to a unique braking command received by the rail car processor, to set brake(s) of the rail car to a level or percentage commanded by the braking command;
• a communication network linking the rail car processors of the plurality of rail cars;
• and
• a control processor in communication with each rail car processor via the communication network, wherein the control processor, operating under the control of a control software program, is operative for transmitting to each rail car processor the unique braking command prepared exclusively for the rail car processor and which causes the rail car processor to set the brake(s) of the rail car to a level or percentage of braking associated with the unique braking command that is the same or different than a level or percentage of braking of the brake(s) of each other rail car are set.

A method for braking a train comprising plurality of railcars, the method comprising:

• identifying a group of one or more railcars that would participate in the braking;
• providing a specific percentage braking command for each of the one or more railcars;
• and
• monitoring braking performance delivered by the braking of the one or more railcars.