The Parsons Vale Trust + CPKC merger brought CPKC’s slightly-less-than-half ownership of the Indiana Harbor Belt into the expanded system, and one of the very first things the new management did was to start the process of electrifying the IHB’s mainline from Hammond to Bensonville (paid for by the CPR, because the other owners didn’t want the railroad to “waste” money on electrification..
This electrification is initially being done at 1500vdc for compatability with the CSS&SB’s existing electrification, but is being built so that it can be switched to 25kvac if and when the CPR’s ex-Milw mainline to the the Twin Cities is electrified.
The CPR has approached various locomotive builders for bids on motors & dual-powered switchers for use on the IHB, but no decisions on motive power orders have been made as of yet.