Amtrak to Cut 24% of Its Service Nationally : Railroads: Move aims to head off possible bankruptcy. One route into California will be slashed.

Amtrak on Thursday announced a series of cutbacks--including one on a route into California--scheduled to take place in June and September as the passenger railroad tries to eliminate red ink.

Without the cutbacks, which will total 24% of the railroad’s service when complete, Amtrak might have been facing bankruptcy by midsummer, said Thomas M. Downs, president of the railroad.

If the savings from reducing service and staff go as planned, Amtrak will have a balanced budget this year and next, he said.

Amtrak is facing a $240-million cash shortfall and had been warned not to expect an increase in federal subsidies. Amtrak receives nearly $1 billion a year from the Federal Railroad Administration.

“This is our last anticipated downsizing, we hope,” Downs said. “We’re down to what we think is the defensible foundation of rail passenger service in America.”

Downs blamed Amtrak’s money problems on years of reduced capital spending on railroads while subsidies were provided to other types of transportation, combined with intense competition from new low-cost airlines.

The new cuts are in addition to service reductions announced last December and already in place.

Service cutbacks scheduled to be implemented June 11:

* California Zephyr between Salt Lake City and Oakland: service eliminated on Monday, Wednesday and Friday; other four days retained.

* Illini between Chicago and Carbondale: service eliminated on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday; other four days retained.

* City of New Orleans between New Orleans and Chicago: service eliminated on Tuesday and Wednesday; other five days retained.

* Hoosier State between Indianapolis and Chicago: service eliminated on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday; other three days retained.

* Service disconnected for Loop and State House connecting St. Louis, Springfield and Chicago.

* Illinois Zephyr between Chicago and Quincy: service eliminated on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; other three days retained.

Downs said Amtrak is not targeting Chicago as a focus of the cutbacks, noting that the city happens to be a connecting point for many trains and thus tends to be involved in almost any major changes.

Cuts scheduled for Sept. 10. are:

* Broadway Limited operating from New York to Chicago vai Pittsburgh reduced to a New York-Harrisburg-Pittsburg service. Passengers continuing to Chicago would have to transfer in Pittsburgh to the Capitol Limited.

* Cardinal between New York and Chicago via Washington and Cincinnati reduced to Washington to Cincinnati service only on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

* Texas Eagle leg from Dallas to Houston replaced by bus service. Dallas to Chicago service will remain unchanged.