Welcome to the installation guide for your new SensorLink system. 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 SensorLink 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 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 SensorLink system.
Inside the SensorLink NEMA Enclosure
Provided Components:
NEMA Enclosure, which houses the SensorLink System
SensorLink Processor
MPRX
Surge Suppression
Cellular Modem
Battery Charger
Sodium Ion Battery
Cellular Antenna (mounted on top of enclosure)
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)
Process Overview
The following is a general installation process overview for a SensorLink system, broken down into key stages:
Site Preparation and Planning:
Site Survey: Conduct a thorough site survey to determine optimal reader and antenna placement. Identify potential obstructions and assess cabling pathways. If the site is to be served by an electrical circuit, check for access to power.
Permitting and Approvals: Obtain all necessary permits and approvals from relevant authorities.
Safety Planning: Develop a detailed safety plan, including emergency response procedures, as sites are often remote.
Material Acquisition: Gather all required materials.
Post and Ground Rod Installation
SensorLink Subsystems
Electrical InstallationXXX
System Configuration and Commissioning (Optimization)
Power-Up and Initial Checks: Power on the system and perform initial checks to verify proper operation.
Tag Testing: Perform tag testing to verify accurate tag reads and system performance.
Data Verification: Verify that the system is transmitting data correctly to the designated data collection system.
Final Inspection and Documentation:
Final Inspection: Conduct a thorough final inspection to ensure all components are properly installed and functioning.
Documentation: Complete all necessary documentation and optimization checklist.
Site Considerations
Site should be readily accessible to nearby roads to facilitate maintenance.
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 SensorLink system.
Site should provide sufficient space to install wayside equipment with respect to railroad clearance restriction requirements.
The site should be located in order to satisfy railroad application requirements and with a consideration of the communication and processing lead-time required by the user of the data.
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.
In order to reduce the potential for interference and subsequent performance degradation, site selection should be made to avoid having two AEI systems powered on at the same frequency at the same time. Two like frequencies should be kept a minimum of 1,500 Ft. apart. AEI transmitter frequencies are: 902.25 MHz, 903.75 MHz, 910.00 MHz, 911.50 MHz, 913.00 MHz, 915.00 MHz, 917.00 MHz, 918.50 MHz, 920.00 MHz, and 921.25 MHz
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
SITE LAYOUT DIAGRAM
SITE ELEVATION DIAGRAM
Step-by-Step Installation Guide
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. An auger helps with the post hole digging, but it is still a difficult job.
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.
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.
'SOLAR PANEL NOTE:'At this point, COMET suggests attaching the solar panel to the top of the 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 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 in mind when determining which way to attach the panel to the pole.
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. Near-side post erected.
Dig/pickaxe a trench that is at least three inches deep starting at the far-side pole, under the track and to the bottom of the near-side pole.
Install the wheel sensor and clamp.
Refer to Frauscher Wheel Detector Installation and Optimization [xxxneed link] for instruction on installing the wheel sensor to the rail.
The mounting point on the track should be in line with the poles as much as possible and between two ties.
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.The easiest way to raise the NEMA box into position is with a block-and-tackle setup
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 it to hold the Enclosure in place.
Connect the top bolt opposite the hook first. Do not tighten yet.
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 the bracket as necessary.
Far side Antenna Backside of antenna, showing bracket and cable connections
Attach Antennas
Make sure antennas are installed right-side up. 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 near-side pole, loop any extra cable and lay it neatly against the near-side post
On both sides of the track, attach the cables and hoods to the antennas
inside radar boxRadar connection from below
Attach the radar
Attach the radar box to its bracket on the pole
A wire lead will be used to feed the gray radar cable 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. Use it as a lead to pull the radar cable up the conduit and out the hole.
Connect the cable inside the Radar box. Then close and latch the box, sealing it as tightly as possible.
Location of battery and breaker
NOTE: Before completing the next set of instructions, MAKE SURE THE BREAKER IS OFF in the Enclosure
Install the Battery
Put the battery in the bottom of the Enclosure and connect the battery cables to it.
Make sure Positive cable goes to the Positive pole; make sure Negative cable goes to NEGATIVE pole.
Solar panel connections
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 with the cable connectors.
Drive in the ground rods.
If you mushroom the head of the rod during installation, it will need to be ground back to profile in order to CAD weld the bonding wire to it.
Drive one ground rod 2-6" from each post.
Ground Rods should be driven to 4-8" above grade
Put the End Caps on the Posts
Push the plastic, 4”x4” caps into the ends of both poles.
Ground Rods
Drive the ground rods 400421 directly after back-fill before further assembly to help keep a clear workspace. If you mushroom the head of the rod during installation, it will need to be ground back to profile in order to CADweld the bonding wire to it. NEED PLACEMENT DIAGRAM
Drive one ground rod 2-6" from each post.
Ground Rods should be driven to 4-8" above grade.
Subsystem Install
Solar Panel
When attaching the solar panel, be aware of its position relative to the sun. In the northern hemisphere, south facing solar panels allow for optimal exposure to the sun. Depending on positioning of the rail, optimal placement may not be possible.
Assemble brackets onto solar panel.
Attach to nearside post using provided U-bolts according to optimal placement.
Radar Presence Detector
The radar must be attached to the nearside post, facing the rail. PHOTO NEEDED, MORE PRODUCT INFO NEEDED
Attach radar facing the track, using provided U-bolts, to nearside post.
SensorLink Enclosure
The system is ready for the mounting of the SensorLink Enclosure [INSERT PART NUMBER].
The SensorLink enclosure is heavy and awkward to handle. Plan your movements, this is a multiple person job.
Before attaching the enclosure, mark on the nearside post where the enclosure will be attached. Ideal placement of the SensorLink enclosure will ensure accessibility when working inside the enclosure later. The SensorLink enclosure should be attached on the side of the post that is opposite to the track.
[INSERT ORIENTATION DIAGRAM]
Attach to nearside post using provided U-Bolts on the side of the post opposite to the track.
Antenna Mounting
NEED DIAGRAMS Two ParaPanel Antennas 400942 need to be installed, one on each post. The vertical center of the antenna should be 42 inches above top of rail, facing the track. If the posts were marked during Posts, the mark can be used to aid in mounting the antennas at the proper height.
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.
Attach L-brackets to the back of the antennas using provided screws.
Mount the nearside antenna first. The antenna should be attached facing the track, opposite the SensorLink enclosure.
The provided plate sits against the long side of the L-bracket.
The U-bolts attach around the tower post.
Attach the second antenna directly across from the first in the same manner.
Antenna Connections
Sealtight conduit 400514 is used to connect the RF antennas to the SensorLink enclosure. Sealtight conduit is provided in the kit for this purpose.
The conduit should be laid in the 3" deep channel made in Earthwork.
Cut the Frauscher's protective hose to the appropriate length and install using the grey cable fitting on the bottom of the enclosure.
Cut the sensor wire to length, (with a service loop) and landed in the enclosure as shown. NEED PHOTO/DIAGRAM
Presence Detector Connections
Materials Needed
Tools Needed
Electrical Connections
Grounding Connections
Materials Needed
No. 6 Bare Copper Wire
Tools Needed
Wire cutter
Procedure
On the nearside post, partially unscrew the grounding lug's inner bolt and insert copper wire. Secure wire by tightening the inner bolt.
Secure wire to grounding rod with grounding rod clamp.
Cut the copper wire on the excess side of the grounding rod.
On the farside, screw ground lug to antenna.
Repeat steps 1-3 on the farside post.
Solar Panel Connections
Connections from the solar panel should be run to the enclosure. The cables should run through the second and third black cable fittings. The cable fittings are found on the bottom of the enclosure.
Batteries
An area inside the SensorLink enclosure has been marked for battery 400266 placement.
Install the battery in the marked area.
Connect the battery using the color codes (Black -)(Red +)
Final Inspection
Calibrating the wheel sensor, checking the reader and reporting to RSM. NEEDS MORE INFORMATION
