Extra order and secret handshakes

I noticed a lot of star number plates on Hawaiian engines ,and nearly all of those were extra order boilers from Baldwin .Hawaii has water that is very hard on boilers . I also noticed that this kind of front plate appeared on locomotives that changed hands at least once ,gaining new number in the process . NCNG #5 is an example of this . Number plates got lost and stolen then as now ,and this design may have been offered as an aftermarket item by Baldwin or one of its suppliers or contractors . As far as the Masonic connection ,I am skeptical .I know little about the Scottish Rite (I ought to become a member,it might help my art biz!), but know their symbols are the "G" over the calipers(That did appear on early locomotives) and the crescent and candlesticks may have also been symbols of the Masons or other fraternal orders. I would note that the "star" plates only appeared on Baldwins ,to the best of my knowledge . I would disagree with Earl on this note : I was able to examine this design plate closely a couple of times ,and noted that the star was incorporated in the casting ,not affixed as an afterthought in brass or white lead . Earl may have been referring to the big stars painted on the smokebox fronts of D&RG locomotives early in the last century . In that case , he is correct.