You are the guy we have been waiting for!
Here is the skinny on this route over at Railworks America here: http://railworksamerica.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=13875

The Minermen would appreciate any images that we can use to add more EL 'flavor" to the route. Keep in mind, at this stage, we don't build custom assets to replicate exactly the structures on the line. Once those 3D Modeling skills are acquired we may rework the route after this incarnation is released .

I just sent a friend request so I can send you my email address via chat. If you were in the tower anywhere from Hoboken to SF - and you recognize my last name - that would mean I'm that guys son and another guy's grandson!

I started work at 15 under the table with the Erie Navy and the Ferryboats. At 16 with working papers I qualified and posted most of the tower jobs on the line and worked Grove Street towers in both Hoboken terminal and the old Erie terminal in Jersey city. West End tower and a number of others up the Lackawanna side to Port Morris. Going up the Erie side I worked HX both tower and river bridge, BJ tower in Rutherford, WJ in Ridgewood, Waldwick, SF in Suffern, NJ tower in Harriman and other spots along the line for special trainorder jobs. I worked both days and nights at SF and at times would help the hostlers makeup trains and service engines at the Ford Plant. My uncle was an engineer on the Leigh Valley so I was around and riding trains in the cab from six years old and was tought to handle freight trains by the time I was 12. I and a buddy as teenagers traveled all over the line even catching a ride with crews from Croxton all the way to Chicago and back. I have not found your friend request so here is an email you can use to reach me: jfbm@mindspring.com

JFBM - thank you so much for reaching out to me here. I dont know if you found this on the internet or if your are on Steam and on my route that I am buidling. I have been waiting for a long time for some who knows what I am up to. 3 Generations on the Eire and EL and I have someone you may want to talk to, and he said do you know the Hawkins brothers. I bet you do! I rode the EL from 1972 to the end in 76 and a few more years with Conrail. By Grandpa retired in 74 and my father left for greaner pastures in 78. We all lived around Port Jervis and many a time I rode the line with my Dad. As you can see after all these years it made a huge impression. My father and me too never understood at the time what working on the "Railroad" really meant and just how much is was family to all of us. I look foward to speaking with you very soon.

I'm on Steam and do run your route. Great work I am having a blast with it. I really enjoy seeing your great progress. I left the EL in 1967 as I was called up for the draft. So I probably never met Hawkins Brothers but no matter we probably have lots to talk about. When I got out in the early 1970's the only place I was offered to work back with the EL was Cleveland so I persued other options. My buddy and I were model Railroaders as well and members of the NY Society of Model Enginers in Carlstat NJ. We had a number of EL, NYC, PATH and PRR members and extened our full scale knowledge to models. The Society is still going and my buddy is still a member. I watch for you contact on my email. Talk soon.

I would like to get together. Could you send me your cell # at jfbm@mindspring.com so we can talk etc.