# A trip to the Doctor's...



## SRW (Jan 13, 2010)

I live in Johnson City TN, about an hour and a half north of "Doc Watson's" home in Hendersonville NC. He has, on several occasions, invited me to come by and visit. Today I had business in nearby Asheville NC and I made arrangements to come south and view his 'operations'. 
Doc and his wife Mary have a very, lovely new home, and they both have workshops on the ground floor level, Mary pursues her sewing interests next door to Doc's model railroading shop both complete with custom cabinetry and all the power tools one could dream of to pursue ANY woodworking or model train project. I'm not saying the place was immaculate or anything but let's just say I've had outpatient surgery in facilities that pale in comparison to their design and cleanliness. [I think you could safely eat off the floor].

Doc shared his collection of trains and model structures with me and then we went out back and viewed his backyard layout. I had my Nikon but didn't have my tape measure, if I had to guess, his layout is in the range of 20' by 50' [Doc can verify the exact dimensions]. It is a work in progress and from what I can judge he is taking his time to do this one _just right_. He had a layout in Northern Va. and obviously learned much from that experience. His environment is very different this time around as that layout was under mature shade trees and this layout has full sun so there are new variables.

I thoroughly enjoyed my review of Doc's new layout, his R/C controls and his pneumatic switching turnouts, and the over under, inside and out loops of his design is very pleasing. He's still adapting his topography to deal with rain drainage and has begun his plantings of conifers and groundcovers to hopefully end up with a low maintenance model RR.

Thanks again Doc. I was VERY impressed with the level of detail in your 'Private Car" models.

I encourage other modelers to visit each other as I bet I came away with two dozen ideas that will some day be very useful in my future model RR projects.

thanks, 

Scott


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

I'd drop by but I live nigh-on 4000 miles away. Whe nwe are over your side of the water it's also a pretty big detour from NW Orygun or SE Ontario, too. 

But thanks for the encouragement. 

tac 
www.ovgrs.org


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## docwatsonva (Jan 2, 2008)

Scott,

Thanks for the compliments. I enjoyed meeting you and the opportunity to talk trains. There are very few garden railroaders in this area and I'm glad you're considering moving down this way. It appears that you have many skills that will be of great help when it comes time to build your own layout. I'm looking forward to seeing some of your own building projects when you have the opportunity to post them.

Yes, my layout is a work in progress but I think I'll be up and running this summer and hope to host a get together for those who are within a reasonable driving distance.

Doc


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## jake3404 (Dec 3, 2010)

It would be nice to visit Doc. I will be in Pigeon Forge over the holiday this weekend, which isnt too far from ashville. But, alas, I'm vacationing with my family and wont have time to get over there.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

I had my Nikon 
And you didn't post any pictures? Shame on you!


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## docwatsonva (Jan 2, 2008)

Jake, It's too bad I'll miss your visit. We wouldn't be home anyway. We're heading for Boston this weekend. Maybe some other time.

Pete, he did take pictures but he's not a 1st class member yet. Scott mentioned he might try to link to a site where he can post pictures. Maybe I can take a few and post them.

Doc


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## SRW (Jan 13, 2010)

Thanks Doc. Post some shots of your track work, the overall layout, your initial evergreen plantings. It's looking good. I'm wrapped up in trying to sell this place, finding a new house and lining up some work in the Asheville area so...I probably won't get to it anytime soon and would have to post it to photobucket, etc. until I finally make time to send in the money for full membership to post photos. It's on the 'to do' list but pretty far down that list at the moment. 
Your pneumatic switch controllers and your portable track power "tool box" are great solutions. Other folks would like to see them. The photos of your custom Railroad Executive's Coach and your new accompanying "Executive Combine Car" would wow folks with your level of detail I'm sure. 
Thanks again for inviting me down and I hope when I get settled and get my trains back out of the packing boxes I can bring something over for a few laps on your layout. 

S


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## docwatsonva (Jan 2, 2008)

In response to Scott's request, here are a few pictures of my new layout that's currently under construction. The layout is 50ft. x 30ft.

First one is a panoramic view from the back deck and then a few closeups.








































The last photo shows my portable power supply setup. I run track power using a Bridgewerks 15 A power supply and two of their R/C units. One runs the outside loop and the other powers the over and under inside loop. Everything fits neatly in a weather-proof tool box.













Doc


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## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

Doc, 

I'm so glad you're "back in the saddle again" (young fellas won't know what cowboy that comes from...hehe). I always enjoy seeing what's new with you. 

Thanks Scott for rattling Doc's cage so we can see what's going on.


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## docwatsonva (Jan 2, 2008)

Richard,

I really have had at least one foot in the saddle all this time but the horse keeps moving. I'm always watching and once in a while I'll post something that I think may be of some help to fellow railroaders. The layout has been keeping me out of the shops for these last several months. I do have a couple of modeling projects on the workbench however. Maybe in a couple of months when I get far enough along on the layout, I'll get back to the shops.

Doc


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Great looking layout, Doc. The use of the landscape rocks really sets the different elevations off nicely.









It's kinda hard to fathom that you went to all that work and still have to clean track. Ya coulda gone battery power, don'tcha know..


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## docwatsonva (Jan 2, 2008)

Stan,

Thanks for the comment.

I know, I know!!! Someday I'll make the move away from track power. For now, I need to finish the landscaping. The trackwork is done except for some ballasting. I'm so used to track cleaning that it doesn't seem like such a big deal. Chuck was lucky to be there to get you to convert his engine. If it wasn't for the high cost of shipping, I'd probably be sending you my engines. I have converted an "Annie" to battery. It uses an old LocoLink R/C sytem and a 14v. Li-ion battery. I do use it when I don't feel like track cleaning.

Doc


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Doc, I really like the way you've used the cribbing as well. The mixture of rock, wood and stone sure makes for wonderful effects. 

It's a very "clean", well thought out plan and looks like it would be fun to run on.


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## SRW (Jan 13, 2010)

Stan, 
Don't you worry yourself as Doc's got the track cleaning thing down pretty well. Besides the universally touted "drywall screen on a pole" He's got an Aristo U25, or something like that, I was so busy admiring the way Doc designed, weighted and mounted his custom Scotchbrite block/pad in between the trucks where the fuel tanks should be that I only took passing notice as to what the diesel was actually a model of. I doubt Doc will have to spend much time keeping those rails shiny for his fine stable of steam locomotives. If he switches the U boat track cleaner over to battery power he won't even have to get down on his hands and knees to clean the track inside his one curved tunnel section. 
The hundreds of $$ he saves on converting his entire collection over to batteries could be used to...buy even more track powered locomotives [Yippee!]


S


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