A system for controlling locomotives, the system comprising: a remote control unit comprising a processing device and a computer-readable storage medium; and a locomotive control unit comprising a processing device and a computer-readable storage medium, the LCU coupled to a locomotive control system of a locomotive for controlling the locomotive and acquiring data therefrom, wherein the RCU or the LCU is configured to: monitor a common radio-frequency channel for a transmission by a network node, wait for the channel to become free, wherein the RCU or the LCU is configured to: calculate a received signal strength indicator (RSSI), and compare the RSSI to a predetermined threshold, and transmit a message after the channel has become free; characterized in that, if the RSSI is not less than the predetermined threshold, the RCU or the LCU is configured to: wait for an interval of time, monitor the channel for a network transmission, if a network transmission is detected during the interval of time, decrease the interval of time, and if a network transmission is not detected during the interval of time, transmit the message. a remote control unit comprising a processing device and a computer-readable storage medium; and a locomotive control unit comprising a processing device and a computer-readable storage medium, the LCU coupled to a locomotive control system of a locomotive for controlling the locomotive and acquiring data therefrom, wherein the RCU or the LCU is configured to: monitor a common radio-frequency channel for a transmission by a network node, wait for the channel to become free, wherein the RCU or the LCU is configured to: calculate a received signal strength indicator (RSSI), and compare the RSSI to a predetermined threshold, and transmit a message after the channel has become free; characterized in that, if the RSSI is not less than the predetermined threshold, the RCU or the LCU is configured to: wait for an interval of time, monitor the channel for a network transmission, if a network transmission is detected during the interval of time, decrease the interval of time, and if a network transmission is not detected during the interval of time, transmit the message. monitor a common radio-frequency channel for a transmission by a network node, wait for the channel to become free, wherein the RCU or the LCU is configured to: calculate a received signal strength indicator (RSSI), and compare the RSSI to a predetermined threshold, and calculate a received signal strength indicator (RSSI), and compare the RSSI to a predetermined threshold, and transmit a message after the channel has become free; characterized in that, if the RSSI is not less than the predetermined threshold, the RCU or the LCU is configured to: wait for an interval of time, monitor the channel for a network transmission, if a network transmission is detected during the interval of time, decrease the interval of time, and if a network transmission is not detected during the interval of time, transmit the message. wait for an interval of time, monitor the channel for a network transmission, if a network transmission is detected during the interval of time, decrease the interval of time, and if a network transmission is not detected during the interval of time, transmit the message.