jwoch

The finish on the lettering and border of the nameplates is more coincidental than intentional. The nameplates were originally chrome plated across the whole face. As the locos got older the chrome wore away due to normal wear and tear and cleaning, so that eventually they showed the brass finish. It certainly didn't "flake off" as a previous post suggests. If you examine an original nameplate very closely, the chrome plating is still under the painted background and in some cases around the edges.