THE VALUE OF MEMORY PATTERNS.

As California's Passenger Rail operators resume something resembling regular service, they're paying attention to the fundamentals, which are frequency, connectivity, and dependability.

Beginning Monday, Oct. 18, the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority will again offer direct Amtrak train service between Sacramento, the state capito,l and Bakersfield, Calif., when it adds a sixth San Joaquin round trip south of Stockton, Calif. The other five departures in each direction will continue to originate or terminate at Oakland’s Jack London Square station.

The following Monday, Oct. 25, the LOSSAN Rail Corridor agency will add another Pacific Surfliner round trip between San Diego and San Luis Obispo, Calif., while entirely revamping schedules so that departures from each station occur at the same minute in each hour that a tran operates. Weekday and weekend schedules will also be identical, as they currently are on the San Joaquins.

Weekday and weekend schedules differ for a variety of reasons, but a primarily regional service isn't in the workday-commuter business, and a number of Commuter Rail authorities that used to think of themselves in those terms are thinking differently.

I'm also encouraged that passengers have the opportunity to purchase food and drinks.

[Marketing manager David] Lipari says the San Joaquins are offering cafe fare on most trains, based on equipment type and staffing.

“On trains unable to offer food service, the authority has worked with a vendor to produce a free upgraded snack box, which includes four products from California and bottled water,” he says. “The snack boxes have been a welcome addition by our passengers, especially those traveling longer distances.”

The new trains take their places on a schedule where departures are spaced throughout the day, either two hours or four hours apart, and clock times during the hour are uniform at each station in each direction.

There's something to recommend memory pattern schedules.

Milwaukee, January 1941

Selected trains had full dining car or tavern-lounge service.  In another month, the Electroliners would offer tavern-lounge service on five trips, three hours apart, daily.  A Milwaukeean or Chicagoan could get to the station before the top of the hour and get on the way.