Slow speed consist control by independently controlling each locomotive

An apparatus for controlling slow speed operations of a railroad locomotive consist comprising a control locomotive and at least one controlled locomotive, with each locomotive having an engine with discrete throttle settings, an electric generator driven by the engine and traction motors for propelling the locomotive driven by power from the electric generator, the system comprising:

• a speed control unit responsive to a signal indicative of desired consist travel speed and selecting a respective throttle setting and excitation voltage of the generator of the control locomotive to produce a first tractive effort from the control locomotive;
• a remote control unit issuing a throttle setting command at the control locomotive for remotely controlling a throttle setting of the at least one controlled locomotive to produce a predetermined second tractive effort corresponding to the throttle setting of the at least one controlled locomotive, with the first and second tractive efforts together constituting a total consist tractive effort for achieving a consist travel speed;
• and
• a processor coupled to the speed control unit and the remote control unit receiving a signal indicative of an actual consist travel speed, the processor programmed to determine if the actual consist travel speed is different from the desired consist travel speed and, when the actual consist travel speed differs from the desired consist travel speed, to adjusting an excitation voltage of the control locomotive to achieve a first tractive effort and a resultant total consist tractive effort for propelling the consist at the desired consist travel speed.