Doug - Thanks! I will definitely consider that for the supports if I go with the wood look. I agree w/respect to drywall hangers. Even if I did use metal brackets everything would be screwed into the studs.
It's been a busy summer & I apologize for the lack of an update. The lobby is basically done (save the door) and my father & I will get to work on the layout in the coming weeks (once they get back from vacation). In the meantime I couldn't help but toy with the layout & added a super-long siding. This would allow me to park a train while running another. I believe I've got 4.5" center rail to center rail at minimum. It would require 1 foot shelving on the front side of the layout vs. 8", though. A neat idea, or should I leave well-enough alone?
