After some head scratching, I've been able to turn the IRLP machine (444.325 repeater + 250.3 PL tone) into an EchoIRLP machine. This machine works as it always has for IRLP (** NODE) and to activate an EchoLink connection use (**C NODE). the "C" is used so the system knows you want to make an EchoLink connection instead of IRLP. In some brief tests, it has worked admirably over the air and also using my smartphone running the EchoLink app.
I want to thank Austin VE3NCQ for making all the tools needed to do this available on the IRLP linux box in the first place. There was a scary day or two when we thought the linux box went belly up but good old linux resolved the issue on it's own.

Whew.
Enjoy!