Welcome to the installation guide for the hardware used by your new CINQ Edge Railcar Tracking Service. This article provides instructions to ensure a safe and efficient installation. Safety is paramount throughout this process. Railroad environments present unique hazards, and strict adherence to all safety protocols is mandatory. Precise workmanship is equally critical for the reliable operation of this CINQ Edge system. Carefully follow each step, double-check connections, and ensure all components are securely mounted. Your diligence in both safety and workmanship will guarantee a successful and long-lasting installation.
Read All Instructions Thoroughly Before Beginning; Understanding all of the Steps will Help Avoid Difficult Situations
Scope of Supply
The installation package includes all necessary components for the complete installation of your CINQ Edge system.
CINQ Edge Shipping Contents
Provided Components:
NEMA Enclosure, which houses the CINQ Edge System
CINQ Edge Processor
MPRX
Surge Suppression
Cellular Modem
Cellular antenna (mounted on top of enclosure)
Battery Charger
Sodium Ion Battery
Two 4" x 4", 10-foot Galvanized Metal Posts
Cables, Conduit and Fittings for system connections
Two RFID Antennas
Frauscher Wheel detector and accessories
Radar Presence kit
Tools and Materials Needed
Installation also requires:
Basic hand tools
Drill driver with Phillips and star bits
Pickaxe
Two-person auger, with a bit that is 8" in diameter and 36" long
250 lbs dry concrete
5 gallons of water
Two magnetic levels
Block-and-tackle rig (recommended)
6-foot ladder
Site Considerations
Site should be readily accessible to nearby roads to facilitate maintenance.
Site should be located where ample sunshine is available (NOT necessary for electric installations).
Site should be located near commercial power source (NOT necessary for solar installations).
Site should be located with consideration to the availability of appropriate communication facilities for system reporting and maintenance (cell coverage).
Site should be located to avoid discontinuities in the track structure (joints, switches, grade or rail crossings) in the immediate vicinity of the CINQ Edge system.
Site should provide sufficient space to install wayside equipment with respect to railroad clearance restriction requirements.
High vandalism areas should be avoided.
Avoid low areas where flooding may occur.
Site selections should be made with an understanding of the railroad traffic patterns.
If feasible, sites should be located to avoid potential sources of interference including large metallic objects and obstructions in close proximity to the reading area, reflective surfaces, and high voltage power lines, and other fixed and portable AEI reader systems.
Pre-construction
Determine the transducer location first. This is the center of the site. The center of the transducer must be located between two ties. This allows for the transducer claw to clamp under the rail.
Mark the 4" x 4" post locations. Posts should be directly out from the transducer -- 12 feet, 6 inches from center of track. More information about post placement and installation is below.
Before digging, contact a qualified utility locator service. Utilities need to be marked before digging to safely avoid them. See below a non-comprehensive list of utility locator services. Local authorities need to be notified before work begins.
Note: Comet Industries is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of the service providers listed.
Earthwork
Two 4" x 4" galvanized posts and the 1" Sealtight conduit (with the far-side antenna cable inside) need to be installed below grade.
Use a pickaxe or similar tool to scratch out a 3-inch-deep channel from post to post and under the track.
Post holes
Holes should be located across from one another, each of them 12 feet, six inches from the center of track.
Holes should be aligned with wheel sensor (transducer)
Holes must be 8 inches in diameter and 3 feet deep.
For more information on post hole preparation, see below.
Shallow Trench
One 3"-deep conduit channel is needed between the two post holes.
Use the pickaxe to dig out a small trench from the base of the far-side antenna, under the track, and out the other side to connect with the Enclosure
Step-by-Step Hardware Installation Guide
Unpack
Carefully disassemble wooden shipping crate, removing lid first.
Take out any boxes or items packed inside the crate that are not attached to the NEMA Enclosure. Set those aside.
Clip bands on palleted items, providing easy access as needed.
Locate and Dig Post Holes
Use an auger to help with the post hole digging.
Measure 12 feet, six inches from the center of the track for a spot that lines up between two railroad ties (the wheel sensor will be installed between the ties later).
Mark the location with marking paint or in some other fashion.
Directly across from that location, measure 12 feet, six inches from the center of the track. Mark that location, as well.
Dig the holes for the 4”x 4” mounting posts at the marked locations.
COMET recommends that two people use a gas-powered auger with a bit that is at least 36” long and 8” in diameter.
Dig the two holes 36” deep at the marked locations on both sides of the track.
HINT:Breaking up the top few inches of soil and rocks with a pickaxe will allow the auger to penetrate the crust Attaching solar panel; note pole is supported on an aluminum ladder laid on its side.easier.
Attach Solar Panel to Top of Near-Side Pole
At this point, COMET suggests attaching the solar panel to the top of the near-side pole while the top end is still easily accessible. This requires, however, that the panel end of the pole be supported so that the panel does not rest on the ground. When attaching the solar panel to the near-side pole, remember it will need to face South or Southeast (preferably South) once the pole is erected. "The Enclosure faces away from the track; and the solar panel faces South." Keep this description in mind when determining which way to attach the panel to the pole.
Erecting Poles
Place the pole with the solar panel in the near-side hole. The side of the pole with the brackets for the Enclosure should face away from the track, the solar panel should face South as much as possible, and the pole must be square to the track.
Fill the hole around the centered pole with the dry concrete, packing it firmly as it fills.
(Optional) Pouring a small amount of water in the hole at two or three levels as the hole is filled can be helpful.
It will take about 2.5 50-pound bags to fill one hole. Keep the pole square to the track.
Using two magnetic levels, keep the pole level both vertically and horizontally.
Follow above instructions to erect far-side pole
The bare copper wire is attached to the ground rod and enclosure bracket using copper connectors.
Ground Rods
Drive in the ground rods on each side. Drive them 2-6 inches from the post, where the ground has already been disturbed.
Drive the rod in until only 4-8 inches remain above ground.
Use the bare copper wire (supplied) and connect one end to the larger copper connector on the ground rod. Connect the other end to the smaller connector using the set screw. Then attach the small connector to the Unistrut cross bar that the enclosure is mounted on.
Near-side post erected.
Far-Side Antenna Cable
Lay out the far-side antenna cable. Starting at the near-side pole, use the shallow trench to lay the antenna cable under the track and to the bottom of the far-side pole. Pull through enough cable to reach up to the antenna connector.
Coil any extra cable and lean it neatly against the near-side pole
The mounting point on the track should be in line with the poles as much as possible and between two ties.
Mounting the NEMA Enclosure
Take the Enclosure to the near-side pole, on the side away from the track, and prepare to install it.
Unwind the cables coming out of the bottom of the enclosure and spread them out and away from the track so that they won’t be in the way for installation.
NOTE: At this point, COMET suggests you use a simple block-and-tackle rig to help lift the Enclosure and hold it in place while connecting to brackets. Doing so will make the following steps of the process much easier.Use a a block-and-tackle setup to raise the NEMA box into position.
Connect one end of the block-and-tackle to the top of the pole and the other end to one of the two holes near the top of the box on the back side.
Raise the Enclosure. It will rise at an angle, which is fine.
When it is at the right height, secure the rope to hold the Enclosure in place.
Connect the top bolt opposite the hook first. Do not tighten any of the bolts until all four have been started.
Remove the hook and connect the other bolt near the top of the box.
Then connect the bottom bolts.
When all bolts have been started, go back and tighten bolts
Adjust bracket as necessary.
Attach Antennas
Far side AntennaBackside of antenna, showing bracket and cable connections
Make sure antennas are installed correctly. The brand name of the antenna goes at the top, right-side up.
Connect the antennas to their brackets with four bolts Note: Mounting hardware for the parapanel antenna is stainless steel. Caution should be taken to avoid thread galling. This includes thread lubrication (best case "anti-seize"), and careful handling.
Vertical center of the antenna should be 42” above the top of rail
Adjust bracket as necessary
Antennas should be at the same height, facing the track and each other.
Connect Cables to Antennas
For the far-side antenna, run the cable in the trench under the track and to the other side.
Leaving enough cable to reach above to the antenna connection on the far-side pole, loop any extra cable from both sides and lay it neatly against the near-side post
On both sides of the track, attach the cables and hoods to the antennas
Attach the Radar
inside radar boxRadar connection from below
Attach the radar box to its bracket on the pole
A wire lead, or electric wire fishing tool, will be used to feed the gray radar cable up through the cable conduit on the post and out the hole midway up the conduit.
Push the 30-inch, 14-gauge aluminum wire (included in hardware box) through the hole midway up the pipe and push it out the bottom of the conduit. Attach the wire to the radar cable and use it as a lead to pull the radar cable up the conduit and out the hole. OR use wire fishing tool per directions.
Connect the cable inside the Radar box. Then close and latch the box, sealing it as tightly as possible.
Battery and breaker location
Install Battery
Ensure that the breaker in the enclosure is turned off.
Put the battery in the bottom of the Enclosure but DO NOT connect the battery cables to it at this time.
Connect the Solar Panel
Take the red and black wires from under the Enclosure and feed them up the cable conduit.
Connect them with the panel: positive to positive; negative to negative.
Make sure they click firmly in place in the cable connectors.
Finishing Up
Put the End Caps on the Posts
Using the ladder, push the plastic, 4” x 4” caps into the top ends of both posts.
Bringing the CINQ Edge to Life
Check all connections
Check that the antennas are aligned to face the track and each other
For safety reasons, CINQ Edge's sodium-ion batteries have no charge when they are shipped. Therefore, to power up CINQ Edge and perform initial testing, the tech will hook up a small 12v battery to provide power. Once powered up, the tech will:
Check antennas -- Using test tag.
Check Presence -- Does radar detect presence.
Check Wheel Sensor -- Passing a piece of steel along the track over the sensor.
Once the tests are successfully completed, connect the sodium-ion battery. Make sure the Positive cable goes to the POSITIVE pole; make sure Negative cable goes to NEGATIVE pole.
Confirm that the battery is charging using the Victron Connect app. (The tech will instruct users on how to get and use the app to monitor battery health.)
Coil all excess cable neatly and lean on or attach to the nearside post. Clean up any tools and/or trash at the site.
Be sure to close and lock the enclosure door before leaving the site.
