The problem is that there was no set way to do
anything. There are numerous different ways they painted and marked both steam and diesel stateside for the military in WW2.
Seeing that I'm not modeling something that actually existed (for example, my ET&WNC ten-wheelers even have correct builder plates, even with their real-life Baldwin numbers, though someone operating one could never see the writing that small), it would be so much easier to just go with the paint on the body shell, but I for sure would have to paint over the striping along the running boards as I have seen zero evidence the Army had that on any loco until the 50s.
I'm still mulling it over, but I do have the decals all made up for when I decide on grey/yellow...
-Lee
Flickr photo set of my On30 layout