Cancellations caused by trains breaking down, the replacement of services with buses and long delays because of problems with the track have certainly become a way of life.

It is for these reasons that many people who would love to take advantage of the convenience of a train trip to Melbourne, instead of the hard slog of the long drive, end up not doing just that.

Most of us lead busy lives, which means we really do need to plan ahead.

But it can be hard to do that when something doesn't go to plan, which with the V/Line train is a real possibility.

Into that equation though comes the latest hiccup with the service - if you want to have a hot cup of tea or coffee to add to the relaxation of the journey, there's every chance you will now have to miss out.

That's right. The track, officials say, is fine for hot beverages if you're heading out of Melbourne, for the first couple of hours at least. But from Wangaratta through to Albury-Wodonga, the urn's shut-off.

The reason for this decision from V/Line is centred on staff safety, which is fair enough.

They say that staff could scald themselves while serving drinks in the buffet car on those sections of track where things get a big too bumpy.

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Travelers too probably wouldn't want to be drinking a hot cup of tea when the train starts shaking all over the place.

But if our V/Line service had not been run into the ground by successive governments over many years we would not be in the mess we are right now.

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The track's a factor, but it goes beyond that given the XPT service will continue to serve hot drinks because those trains have airbag suspension systems.

A couple of hundred million dollars in upgrades are said, by the government, to be on the way.

But again it is ridiculous that customers should have to wait on such a significant amount of money and time before they can have a cuppa whenever they wish to on their journey.

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