A ride control system, comprising: a central controller configured to synchronize movements of separate groups of ride vehicles along a path, wherein the path includes a split-path portion comprising two separate paths (20a, 20b) along which the separate groups of ride vehicles may be moved, wherein each of the separate groups of ride vehicles comprises a plurality of individual ride vehicles unconnected to one another and forming a virtual train, wherein each virtual train is assigned one or more schedules comprising a plurality of expected positions along the path and a plurality of expected timestamps, and wherein each of the expected timestamps of the plurality of expected timestamps are associated with respective expected positions of the plurality of expected positions; and a plurality of vehicle controllers, wherein each vehicle controller of the plurality of vehicle controllers is communicatively coupled to a respective individual ride vehicle of the plurality of individual ride vehicles, wherein each vehicle controller is configured to control a speed of the respective individual ride vehicle along the path based at least on the one or more schedules, wherein the central controller is configured to determine a relative position for each ride vehicle within a group relative to other ride vehicles in the group and is further configured to separate two subsets of the ride vehicles of the virtual train along the path based at least on the relative position and the one or more schedules, wherein separating the two subsets of the ride vehicles comprises: sending a first subset of the ride vehicles of the virtual train along a first path of the split-path portion of the path based at least on the one or more schedules; and sending a second subset of the ride vehicles of the virtual train along a second path of the split-path portion of the path based at least on the one or more schedules; and wherein the central controller is configured to rejoin the two subsets of the ride vehicles of the virtual train along the path after separation such that the relative position of one or more ride vehicles within the virtual train is changed after the separation and rejoining. a central controller configured to synchronize movements of separate groups of ride vehicles along a path, wherein the path includes a split-path portion comprising two separate paths (20a, 20b) along which the separate groups of ride vehicles may be moved, wherein each of the separate groups of ride vehicles comprises a plurality of individual ride vehicles unconnected to one another and forming a virtual train, wherein each virtual train is assigned one or more schedules comprising a plurality of expected positions along the path and a plurality of expected timestamps, and wherein each of the expected timestamps of the plurality of expected timestamps are associated with respective expected positions of the plurality of expected positions; and a plurality of vehicle controllers, wherein each vehicle controller of the plurality of vehicle controllers is communicatively coupled to a respective individual ride vehicle of the plurality of individual ride vehicles, wherein each vehicle controller is configured to control a speed of the respective individual ride vehicle along the path based at least on the one or more schedules, wherein the central controller is configured to determine a relative position for each ride vehicle within a group relative to other ride vehicles in the group and is further configured to separate two subsets of the ride vehicles of the virtual train along the path based at least on the relative position and the one or more schedules, wherein separating the two subsets of the ride vehicles comprises: sending a first subset of the ride vehicles of the virtual train along a first path of the split-path portion of the path based at least on the one or more schedules; and sending a second subset of the ride vehicles of the virtual train along a second path of the split-path portion of the path based at least on the one or more schedules; and sending a first subset of the ride vehicles of the virtual train along a first path of the split-path portion of the path based at least on the one or more schedules; and sending a second subset of the ride vehicles of the virtual train along a second path of the split-path portion of the path based at least on the one or more schedules; and wherein the central controller is configured to rejoin the two subsets of the ride vehicles of the virtual train along the path after separation such that the relative position of one or more ride vehicles within the virtual train is changed after the separation and rejoining.