Control system and method for a transportation network

A method comprising:

• determining an energy demand associated with delivery of cargo in each of one or more trips from a starting location to a delivery location within a delivery time slot associated with the trip, the energy demand for each trip representative of an amount of electric energy needed to move one or more cargo vehicles that carry the cargo in the trip from the starting location to the delivery location of the trip;
• determining a location of each of one or more energy tenders and a state of charge of each of the one or more energy tenders;
• determining a schedule for the one or more cargo vehicles to deliver the cargo to the delivery location within the delivery time slot, the schedule determined based on the energy demand, the location of the one or more energy tenders, and the state of charge of the one or more energy tenders, the schedule directing which of the energy tenders that the one or more cargo vehicles are to couple with, be powered by, and move with for powering the cargo along one or more routes to the delivery location of the trip within the designated time slot;
• and
• directing movement of the one or more cargo vehicles according to the schedule.

A control system comprising:

• one or more processors configured to determine an energy demand associated with delivery of cargo in each of one or more trips to a delivery location within a delivery time slot associated with the trip, the energy demand for each trip representative of an amount of electric energy needed to power one or more cargo vehicles that carry the cargo in the trip to self-propel the one or more cargo vehicles from the starting location to the delivery location of the trip,
• wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine a location of each of one or more energy tenders and a state of charge of each of the one or more energy tenders,
• wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine a schedule for at least one of the trips to deliver the cargo to the delivery location within the delivery time slot, the schedule determined based on the energy demand of the at least one trip, the location of at least one of the energy tenders, and the state of charge of the at least one energy tender,
• wherein the schedule includes a location where the one or more energy tenders that are coupled with the one or more cargo vehicles are to stop for recharging an energy storage device onboard at least one of the energy tenders, and
• wherein the one or more processors are configured to communicate the schedule to the one or more cargo vehicles to direct self-propelled movement of the one or more cargo vehicles to move to a location of the one or more energy tenders, couple with the one or more energy tenders, and receive electric power from the one or more energy tenders for powering the one or more cargo vehicles to self-propel along one or more routes to the delivery location of the trip within the designated time slot.