The invention relates to a method for controlling a railway vehicle having a double drive system, wherein each drive system comprises an internal combustion engine and a transmission unit, wherein a target drive torque (M(SL)) is provided as a power requirement by means of a drive lever, wherein an actual drive torque (M(IST)) of the railway vehicle is determined and a drive torque deviation is calculated from the target drive torque (M(SL)) and the actual drive torque (M(IST)). The method further comprises determining a prediction drive type (AAP), and a target drive type (AA(SL)) in the sense of a single or double drive, a target operating point (BP(SL)), and a target transmission stage (US(SL)) are set for the transmission units, based on the drive torque deviation and the prediction drive type (AAP), by means of a traction manager (9).