Hats off to the Long Island and Metro North Railroads for deciding to continue their age-old tradition of serving alcohol on afternoon commuter trains.

Temperance advocates may disagree, but a little John Barleycorn not only takes the edge off the average work day, but makes the inevitable delays, boorish behavior by fellow passengers and the aloof, if not outright hostile, attitudes by the conductors just a little more bearable.

So, let’s lift our glasses to the powers-that-be at both railroads and congratulate them on a very, very smart image and reputation move. That said, why can’t the Aimee Semple McPherson-types who run NJ Transit follow suit? If they did, I’d be willing to treat for the first round.