TOILET woes have contributed to V/Line replacing 14 train services with buses on the North East line over the past week.
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Passengers were again forced to trade a carriage for a coach on Wednesday after a defect with a power van on the 7.05am service from Melbourne to Albury struck en route to Seymour.
V/Line spokeswoman Ebony Jordan said the toilets were a particular problem.
"Coach replacements over the past week have been due to train faults and defective toilets, which have now been fixed," Ms Jordan said.
"We are in the process of modifying the tanks in carriage toilets to help reduce the number of blockages."
The Border Rail Action Group has calculated 14 train services have become bus runs since last Tuesday.
Its chairman Bill Traill said the problems were confirmation the rolling stock is "old, fragile and got no life left".
He said passengers should not hope for much progress with no immediate plans for new carriages and engines.
"If this N class fleet is to last five to 10 years we'll just have a complete breakdown of the rail service," Mr Traill said.
"That's got far-reaching ramifications for train services, they will lose their market and it will take a decade to recover, if ever.
"It's a nonsense to a logical approach to rail transport as a business – pouring high cost maintenance into a fleet that has got no future."
Mr Traill said he did not have optimism that a regional transport plan being undertaken for the Victorian Government would improve North East services.
"Underpinning my concern is political reality, with swinging electorates and burgeoning population areas likely to get more attention,” he said.
Wodonga passengers affected by Wednesday's bus transfers had mixed feelings when The Border Mail spoke to them before the 12.55pm bus to Melbourne.
Anne Tremethick had received an $8 refund after not being able to travel first class.
"I was looking forward to getting on the train and having lunch,” Anne Tremethick said.
"If they provided lunch on the bus it would be different, but they don't."
Factory worker Juri Vihm welcomed the bus ride to start his holiday.
"I've used it a few times in recent years and the trains are filthy,” Mr Vihm said.
"I'd rather go on the coach, look out the windscreen and chill out."
