Patent ID: 8725323

Claim:
A method comprising: transmitting a linking signal from a first lead propulsion unit of a vehicle consist to a remote propulsion unit of the vehicle consist, the linking signal including a first identity of the first lead propulsion unit, the remote propulsion unit and the first lead propulsion unit controllably linked with each other when the first identity of the first lead propulsion unit in the linking signal corresponds to a designated identity that is stored onboard the remote propulsion unit, the remote propulsion unit allowing the first lead propulsion unit to remotely control operations of the remote propulsion unit when the first lead propulsion unit and the remote propulsion unit are controllably linked; transmitting a de-linking signal from the first lead propulsion unit to the remote propulsion unit when the first lead propulsion unit is to be mechanically decoupled from the vehicle consist, the de-linking signal including a replacement identity of a propulsion unit other than the first lead propulsion unit that is to be mechanically coupled to the vehicle consist to replace the first lead propulsion unit; and transmitting a replacement linking signal from a second lead propulsion unit to the remote propulsion unit, the replacement linking signal including a second identity of the second lead propulsion unit, wherein the remote propulsion unit and the second lead propulsion unit are controllably linked when the second identity of the second lead propulsion unit corresponds to the replacement identity received at the remote propulsion unit, wherein the remote propulsion unit allows the second lead propulsion unit to remotely control the operations of the remote propulsion unit when the second lead propulsion unit and the remote propulsion unit are controllably linked.