Patent ID: 8190311

Claim:
An adaptive brake system for a distributed power railroad train comprising a lead locomotive, at least one remote locomotive and a plurality of railcars interconnected by a fluid-carrying brake pipe as a component of a brake control system at each of the lead locomotive and the at least one remote locomotive, wherein the lead locomotive issues a braking command to the at least one remote locomotive over a communication system between the lead locomotive and the at least one remote locomotive, and wherein the lead locomotive and at least one remote locomotive are each in fluid communications communication with the brake pipe for controlling a brake pipe fluid pressure at each of the lead locomotive and the at least one remote locomotive, the system comprising: an input command mechanism on the lead locomotive for entering the braking command associated with a brake application, the braking command sent via the communication system to the at least one remote locomotive; wherein there exists a loss of communication relative to the braking command between the lead locomotive and the remote locomotive over the communications system; a sensor for detecting the brake pipe fluid pressure in the brake pipe line at the at least one remote locomotive that transmits one or more pressure signals indicative of the brake pipe fluid pressure at the remote locomotive; a remote controller at the at least one remote locomotive that is linked to the sensor and the brake control system, a database having data relative to the brake pipe fluid pressure indicative of a brake application initiated at the lead locomotive and data relative to a predetermined brake pipe pressure level in the event that the brake application is detected; and, wherein the remote controller compares the one or more pressure signals received from the sensor to the data relative to the brake pipe fluid pressure to determine that the brake application has been initiated at the lead locomotive and transmits a fluid pressure level signal to the brake control system that is indicative of a predetermined brake pipe fluid pressure level; and, wherein the brake control system reduces the brake pipe fluid pressure in the brake pipe at the at least one remote locomotive to the predetermined brake pipe fluid pressure level responsive to the signal received from the remote controller.