A method of controlling a vehicle system includes receiving information of a failure condition in a first rail vehicle of a rail vehicle consist. The method further includes, in response to the failure condition, controlling a second rail vehicle of the rail vehicle consist from a first operational mode to a different, second operational mode. In the second operational mode, the second rail vehicle performs a function that the first rail vehicle cannot due to the failure condition. The information is received over a distributed power system of the rail vehicle consist, and/or the second rail vehicle is controlled over the distributed power system.