Conrail Antitrust Move Fails

WASHINGTON — The Senate, tackling the possible sale of Conrail to the private sector, today refused to consider a bill to subject Norfolk Southern Corp.’s $1.2-billion purchase bid to antitrust review by the courts.

Senators voted 56 to 37 to table the proposal by Sen. Alan J. Dixon (D-Ill.), who said court review was needed because the Justice Department did not adequately resolve anti-competitive problems raised by the sale of the government-owned freight rail carrier to Norfolk Southern, a chief Conrail competitor.