I am currently building a new layout and found an excellent product to eliminate wiring confusion and excess.
I recently found a spool of telephone/internet cable at work. It has eight color coded wires that are perfect for the application. I wired all my turnouts with three cables, and some of my animated scenery with one cable. now i am wiring my steet lights and building lights with one cable. WOW, what a difference in the amount of wiring.
I just thought i would share this.
That is called cat-5 cable. (Could be cat-5e or cat 6—as far as a railroad is concerned it is all the same—IT IS NOT the same to your computer network.)
LION used 25 pair cat-3 cable (50 colored conductors) but then LIONS are different.
Presently I am using cat-5 conductors to automate my signal system, details will be at the other end of the cat. That is when I take some pictures., I’ll tell you some more.
ROAR
You are not the first to reduce wiring by such a method. Others have used things such as computer connection wires, ethernet wires, etc., any such cabling can work.
All that is really required is to have wire capable of handling whatever you intend to throw at it without being fried.
Enjoy the hobby your way…
[8-|]
Cool. I am just using it for a simple DC layout to eliminate all the extra mess. I am not using my laptop, yet.