Looks like this build is off to the races and leading the herd. Looking good Jim watching for the continuation of the build 
Love the stonework Jim, just wonderful looking. The forms, mortar, tile grout, everything came out great. And good job on the site prep!
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well, full disclosure. I haven’t done the tile grout step yet! blush
I think I’ll have a train day on Friday. maybe then…
Nice build Jim
Have you tried vibrating the table the form is setting on?
That would help the cement settle between the rocks more.
One way to vibrate it is using a jigsaw without a blade.
Learned this trick from Stone Works.
Jim
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No you don’t 
Best part is, you can come back years later to figure out how you did this when you want to do it again. Looking great and I love that the foundation will be partially buried.
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Ans. 1: Oh, I thought I saw some in the last photo. But that explains how you cleaned the grout off so well!
Ans 2: I was speaking in the prophetic past tense.
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Nice work as always Jim !
But why do the plants need to be plum and square ?
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They’re not. They’re plum and squash.
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A tiny bit of progress: grouted one wall. Got my son, and namesake for the saloon, involved again:
And some closeups. Have broken out a toothbrush (is that why the dentist gives me so many of these things?) and am trying to get some of the grout off the fronts of the rocks. Still a work in progress.
This wall will be buried pretty much. Makes it a good test wall to try things out. I think I made the grout too thick this time. We’ll see when I get to the side wall if runnier is bettier.
Cheers!
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Looks excellent, Jim! GREAT technique.
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Technique “stolen” from Ray Dunakin with a modification (grout) by Boomer.
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Well… IT WORKED!
+++++++++++++++++++++
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I like the way that looks with the grout. When I first started doing this stuff, I had considered using grout but heard it’s not durable outdoors. Was I misinformed?
I’ll try to get a picture of my dynamite shack that uses the same grout. It’s been outside here in Pleasanton (so pretty ok weather, a bit cooler than your railroad I’m guessing) for a few years and it seems to be doing ok. If we had wider temperature swings and more moisture (aka snow) I’m not sure what would happen.
I think it looks great Jim and would be willing to bet it will hold up just fine.
Doc
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I went back and looked. My rock dynamite building was put outside in August of 2018, so 3+ years ago. Here’s what it looked like at the time:
And here are a couple of cell phone pics I just took:
Grout seems to be holding up ok. Some of my details are not holding up as well 
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do not know how I missed this build, but now am up to date and wow Jim it looks great! May have to try this on a smaller scale (size of building) at first.
Jim, your stonework and details on the foundation are AMAZING!! And I’m looking forward to seeing the saloon itself!
Question about your design sketch.
Is that a gantry going over the track, to extract would-be saloon imbibers, and deposit them back into a waiting car after the saloon has completed its job on them? I hope so!
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That is an outside party deck going over the track, the better to let the cinders drift into your beer. Not realistic but hopefully entertaining.
Maybe I need to have some kind of tipple so when people get tipsy we can tipple them into an awaiting hopper: