Modern Telephone Cable Color Code

On terminal blocks the TIP is the first wire of a pair. The TIP conductor carries a majority of the TRACER color and a minority of the PAIR color.

The PAIR colors are BLUE ORANGE GREEN BROWN SLATE. The TRACER colors are RED BLACK YELLOW VIOLET. After the first 25 pairs, the first bundle of 25 are wrapped in a WHITE BLUE ribbon and the second 25 are wrapped in a WHITE ORANGE ribbon, etc. After 625 pairs are thusly identified, the first 625 pair bundle is wrapped in a WHITE BLUE ribbon, etc. to infinity.

PAIR TIP RING
1 WHITE BLUE    
2 WHITE ORANGE    
3 WHITE GREEN    
4 WHITE BROWN    
5 WHITE SLATE    
6 RED BLUE    
7 RED ORANGE    
8 RED GREEN    
9 RED BROWN    
10 RED SLATE    
11 BLACK BLUE    
12 BLACK ORANGE    
13 BLACK GREEN    
14 BLACK BROWN    
15 BLACK SLATE    
16 YELLOW BLUE    
17 YELLOW ORANGE    
18 YELLOW GREEN    
19 YELLOW BROWN    
20 YELLOW SLATE    
21 VIOLET BLUE    
22 VIOLET ORANGE    
23 VIOLET GREEN    
24 VIOLET BROWN    
25 VIOLET SLATE    

"One way to remember the ring colors is Bell Operators Give Better Service (Blue, Orange, Green, Brown, Slate)."

"For the tip conductor you can use Why Run Backwards You'll Vomit." (For White, Red, Black, Yellow, Violet.)

Another good chart

this page in black and white

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