A method for controlling a wheel speed of a locomotive includes determining an estimated wheel speed (52) for a desired wheel set of a locomotive responsive to a locomotive operating parameter indicative of an actual wheel speed of the desired wheel set. The method also includes generating a first adjustment parameter (e.g., 46) based on an operating condition of the locomotive, and then applying the first adjustment parameter to the estimated wheel speed for generating a first adjusted estimated wheel speed signal (54) used as a first input for controlling a wheel speed of at least one of the desired wheel set and the other wheel sets of the locomotive.