N Gauge Guild Of South Africa

Wiring - Layout - Track Power

• Consider running a bus underneath your layout. This bus should generally follow the track form. At selected points, use drop wires to connect the track to the bus.
  

Wiring - Colour coding

• Use different colour wires for different functions. For example, use black and red wiring for all track power, blue and white for lights and so forth.
  
• Dedicate a colour to a function, for example: decide on 3 colours for all switch motors. Assign one colour to the common terminals, one for open direction and the third colour to the closed direction of the switch.
  
• This makes problem solution much easier, because you only concentrate on a certain colour when tracking a problem with a certain function.
  

Wiring - Documentation

• No matter how small your layout, take the time to document all your wiring. Try and keep to diagrams, pictures work better than essays
  

Wiring - Fastening

• Invest in a few packets of cable-ties.
  
• Suspend wires, especially if it is a layout following bus described above, by threading the wire through small self-tapping cup hooks or screw eyes screwed into the bottom of the layout.
  
• Velcro works well for bundling wires on a semi permanent basis.