Thanks for the tips guys! Yeah I actually have two access hatches/pop-ups, it's just difficult to see from the photo above. The plastic bin is actually sitting on one of them to try and flatten the plywood hatch since it has a bit of a bow to it that can't be removed using screws. As of right now, the access hatches are just loose, I may look into doing hinges, however I like the idea of the popup, that way I don't have the hinged cover blocking one side or the other.
As for the backdrop, I'm toying around with using an image I've taken using the panorama feature on my phone, I just need to ensure the resolution is high enough given the size
Lastly, regarding the track, I'm going to head to Legacy Station here in Atlanta if I can manage tomorrow. I believe they have a fastrack sale going on right now so hopefully I can take advantage of that!