The paint scheme was designed by EMD and became known as the 'rubber band' scheme. As delivered, the trucks, tanks and pilots were painted black, and the bell was located in the usual EMD location behind the pilot, moved during 1959 to address a freezing problem in the winter. The ITC heralds were metal plates fashioned at ITC's shops, later replaced with decals when rust developed under the plates. Frame stripes were added as well as diagonal stripes (chevrons) added to the ends. The color of the stripes could be white or yellow, depending on the unit. Units 1604 and 1605 received a Leslie S31 super typon single-chime horn (nicknamed, duck horn) applied to the long hood facing the rear to address an issue of complaints from the citizens of the towns where street running still existed.

By 1960 another paint scheme was applied to the six GP7's, the so-called 'football' scheme designed in-house, with yellow ovals appled to the ends (somewhat creating a yellow football shape when two like units were coupled together) and green body with silver trucks and tanks, and yellow stripes on the green pilot. Within this paint scheme was five variations. In 1967, the GP7's were renumbered in the 1500 series, and by 1971, yet another paint scheme was applied to the GP7's as they were shopped, green body, large yellow stripes (chevrons) on the ends, and yellow frame. Within this paint scheme were at least two variations, swapping the name and number between the hood and cab. The GP7's were renumbered at the time of the N&W takeover in 1980 (N&W 3401-3406) but were worn out, 1501 and 1502 were scrapped (1982-83), 1503, 1504, and 1505 were traded to GE (1982-84) and 1506 was donated to the Illinois Railway Museum and repainted to 1605, its original number.