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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 CSX and the Union Pacific (via their takeover of Norfolk Southern) didn’t want the railroad to “waste” money on electrification, but was happy to see the CPR “waste” that money instead.

(CPKC, in almost their last decision as an independent railway, insisted that the IHB’s majority ownership be split between the Union Pacific & CSX instead of their previous 51% joint stake through Conrail. In practice, nothing has changed; CSX & the UP are still cooperating to manage the railway most of the time, but in important things like assenting to electrification CSX voted with the CPR to authorise electrification of the line.)

This electrification is at 25kvac – instead of 1500vdc – for compatibility with the CPR’s planned electrification of the Soo Line from Chicago to the Twin Cities & Kansas City.