I buy all my wire here:

http://www.mcmelectronics.com

Looks like $12.  Product #24-1890

Super fast shipping too.

How about OGR? I trust 'em.

John

I bought some of the OGR wire, works nicely.

I also recommend the OGR wire. comes in #14 or #16 and several different lengths. It is also very good quality wire. Something else to think about, I always end up needing more than I order, no matter how well I plan there is always another piece or two to add somewhere.

Another strong endorsement of OGR wire. I have bought and installed almost 1K feet of it.  You can't go wrong with it.

OGR is good stuff!

A lot of the red/black twin lead now days it aluminum core copper clad. It needs to be up sized...like instead of 16, use 14 for example. I don't think the OGR wire is like that. It's likely all copper.

I'll give another endorsement for OGR wire, "it's good stuff"!.

www.allelectronics.com.   Easy ordering on the web and fast service. They have the red/black 16 gauge your looking for. Sold by the foot. Hit wire, then zip cord and it should come up.

I bought mine by the foot at the local Ace Hardware.

Home Depot or Lowes if you want to pick it up.

Mike,

Check out Allelectronics.com  or these guys:

http://www.powerwerx.com/wire-...um=cpc&utm_term={keyword_text}&utm_campaign=Wire+%26+Cable+-+Exact&utm_adgroup=Red+Black+Zip+Cord&mkwid=sp5GPYWvS_dc&pcrid=51359807762&plc=&pkw=red%2F%2Fblack%20zip%20cord&pmt|=e&gclid=CjwKEAiA2JqkBRDshIOY_9eMghkSJABvNd1QvM23dhPFTmvTbCARGYBugaRDrkyqhLVh6JrOLHpKgxoCMLzw_wcB

search "zipcord", "trailer wire", "hook up wire" as well.

Best,

George

It's not red and black, but you sure can't beat the price!  I just bought some of this.  It does have a red strip on one conductor to ID which is which.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/360959576647

That's it!

Here's what I've been using on my home layout.

Monoprice

Gilly

That looks like pretty good wire, also noticed they have it in #18, both 2C and 4C which I had been looking for. Had a hard time finding the 4C when I was looking. Ended up with Thermostat wire (solid) form Home Depot. I may still get some of this stranded, just in case. 

Ahhh, here's a subject near and dear to my heart.

I am building a layout and did a fair amount of research a while ago.  I found these providers to be the cheapest.  Even though the prices are similar, I am presenting these because together they offer a nice assortment of colors for color coding purposes.

We have:

• Grainger 
• This one is a provider to RV manufacturers ... makes sense, it's a long way from front to back in an RV for a wire harness
• Global

Full Disclosure:

• I am building my layout and have not purchased from these sources yet.
• I was looking for 14 gauge wire, so some of my links might not be to what you want.
• I need a lot of wire, so the spool lengths might be more than you need.

Now some questions for the EE's who are reading:

• What would be a safe minimum Amperage capacity to order?  Some of these are rated as low as 15 Amps, max capacity.  Is that Ok for Toy Train purposes?
• Other than flexibility, is there a difference between solid and stranded wire?  E.g., is there a difference in current drop off over, say a 50ft wire for stranded vs. solid?

Thanks for posting this topic.  I continue to look forward to seeing people's responses.

SJS

#1, 15A capacity is fine.  The more important specification is the wire size, as that will determine the voltage drop on long runs.

#2. Although there could be very small real differences, for all practical purposes, the conductivity of solid vs. stranded is the same.  We're talking 1-2% as a possible difference.

Have you seen this thread?  It should answer a lot of questions.

Handy Wire Voltage Drop Calculator

Personally I would not use THHN (from your Global link), it's stiff, likes to retain it's 'curl' from the spool and more difficult to work with, IMHO. I would look for MTW (Machine Tool Wire), it has a softer and more flexible insulation and is much easier to work with, again, IMHO. This would be for single conductor wire.

For 2 conductor, or if you will have DCS and are wiring for that system the OGR wire is really hard to beat. I can't speak for buss wiring methods, I wired for DCS using pairs of wires and the OGR wire. OGR wire is priced competitively. I just wish they would offer #18 the same as they have in #14 & #16, and #18 & #20 in different combinations of multi-conductors (like residential thermostat wire).

     Michael and everyone else just some food for thought. It may be A little more expensive to shop at the local mom and pop hardware store for some things like wire. If we keep buying from the internet, Lowes and Home Depo and not buy from your local little hardware store soon they will be out of business. Then when you need that (flugal binder thing A ma bob) that the big chain hardware stores don't carry where are you going to find it? I really like those little hardware stores when you walk in the little bell rings on the door and the wooden floor creeks when you walk on it. The owner knows you by name and asks how the family is doing. Once that is gone its gone. Hope you don't mind my 2 cents worth. Choo Choo Kenny 

Best place in what aspect?  price, quanity, variety...?  What is your guideline for "best"?

The 14/16 OGR wire is fine.  Just too limiting in variety.  In addition to coils of `16 ga OGR wire I work in 6 sizes and 12 colors. 

If OGR wire came in a color range of jackets that would be very helpful.

Trouble shooting a one, two or three color wire large layout can be a real problem.

Wire labels are also very handy.

Different colors help tracing runs, different sizes for different purposes.

I bought my wire from Home Depot.  500' rolls.  One Red, One Orange and One Black.  Red was used for the outside loop center rail and the Orange was used for the inside loop center rail.  The Black wire was used for the outside and I did one loop at a time, so I didn't cross connect the loops. 

This Amazonsupplier is good for 100ft rolls. These guys have all kinds of colors for 7.99 per roll.  Plus free delivery if  you are a prime member.

Amazon wire

Got one 250' spool from LHS. Getting other piece (50') from OGR.

I also bought from H.D. 6-500' rolls of various colors for easy tracing.

500 ft. rolls are usually stock items.  Black, Red, Blue, White, Green, Brown, Orange, Yellow, Grey, would be common colors always available.   12ga, 14ga, 18ga would also be readily available, most likely in stranded, which is preferred, when pulling through conduit. In general, same size solid wire is usually 10 to 15% cheaper. Solid conductor larger than size #2 would be difficult to find.    Electrical Supply stores, and the Big Boxes. Prices would vary depending on Copper commodity prices. 

You will always use more wire than you think.  A 200 ft. roll will be gone quickly.  IMO
Mike CT

For about the last 10 years, i have been buying all of my bulk wire from a Colorado Company by the name of Ties 4 Less.  I met them at Good Guys Car Show in Columbus, OH.  They were doing demos for custom automobile wiring harnesses.  I talked to them about bulk wire in multiple colors and sizes.  they will send you any footage you request and they are the most reasonable i've found.  Check out their website: ties4less.com  

I have ordered 14-16-18-22 gauge wire in 200 foot reels.

I find most my wire at garage sales cheap. Just so insulation is good with no corrosion.  Trains layout are not a very demanding job with low voltage and modest wattage.

16 ga is pretty close to 18 ga lamp wire which what I used for small loads like lighting, Marx switches, uncoupling mags, accessories, etc.  It is cheap at HD, Lowes, etc. Use a sharpie to mark rings to ID wires function if using only one color (black sharpie except on black wire).

I use 12 ga for track blocks hot wire as my blocks are only 10 or so track sections long.  I would use 18 or 16 ga for common track every 4 feet or so; just to feed in case of bad pin contacts.  Just follow track around.

Charlie

Purchasing wire is a classic case of you get what you pay for.

As others have said here, our OGR WIRE is some of the best available for use on O gauge train layouts. We've got a $5 shipping special running right now, and if your order goes over $200, shipping is FREE.

It's available in 14 and 16 gauge, in lengths of 50, 100 and 250 feet.

We have shipped over 100,000 feet of this wire! It is in service on O gauge layouts all over the country.

The OGR wire is great. I am just finishing up wiring 25 blocks with my 250' roll. At about $.28/ft shipping included, I couldn't find a better deal. A post on the Forum clued me in to using the nylon strings for stripping saved me a lot of frustration with skinned wires. You won't regret using it.

There is a lot of wire out there, especially what seems like a great price, that is actually copper clad aluminum. With it, I would say you lose about one gauge as far as current carrying capacity. Some vendors don't exactly shout out the composition of the aluminum wire.