Norfolk Southern Railroad officials tried to convince more than 70 residents Thursday that an intermodel facility wouldn't seriously impact their way of life along Lamore Drive in Prince George, Virginia.

Some residents told the railroad men to "Go home. We don't want you here." But many others pleaded with the officials to build a bridge over the railroad track to make the project easier on residents. There was no sign that the railroad men wanted to alter their plan.

Nearly all of those present seemed deeply concerned about a project that would invest $11.5 million in a 40-acre parcel that would bring 10 jobs to the county. One local resident endorsed the proposed facility.

An intermodel facility means freight cars on the railroad would be loaded onto container cars on 18-wheelers or 18-wheeler containers would be loaded onto the train.

The company is also considering an intermodel facility near Roanoke.

The Prince George facility would be located about 900 feet from Lamore Drive and 4,000 feet from the Rives Road railroad crossing at its closest points. A railroad spokesman said, "The facility will consist of several side tracks, a loading area, a parking area for trailers and containers,a small office, a lift machine maintenance pad and a retention pond to control storm water outflow."

Truck access between the facility and U.S. Route 460 would use the existing Rives Road crossing and then about 3,000 feet of Lamore Drive.

"Direct access between the facility and Route 460 was considered, but is not feasible due to conflicts with the operation of the facility," said Rob Siik, a railroad company spokesman

Citizens were concerned about the truck traffic, the noise and traffic snarls on Lamore Drive.

The company proposes to make a decision sometime in 2004, begin construction in early 2005 and be operational by fall of 2005.

Siik said, "This is a fast growing part of freight transportation, growing 14 percent over the past year." Siik appeared slightly overwhelmed by the citizen protest, but finally agreed to listen to what they said.

Richard Holmes of Walton Lake Road said, "There is already a lot of trucking going on there. This isn't opposition to the railroad. The area is already overwhelmed. We live there. Rives Road is our only way to Route 460."

Pat Rhodes expressed concern about the traffic on Lamore Drive and Rives Road.

Siik told them there would be 87 trucks going into the facility each day and 87 trucks going out from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.

"Four trains a day will be stopping here," Siik said. "Trains would take four minutes to pass the rail crossing." Many residents laughed about that statement.

A county staffer said the county would add about $500,000 in revenue if the project is approved. "How much would we get?," an unidentified resident asked.

Willie Horne, a resident of Rives Road, said he had attended this meeting and a March meeting and listened, but now he wanted to speak. "We all have to sacrifice for a good county. The property has been designated for industry for 45 years. Those who want to keep Prince George rural are 45 years too late. There is a lot of traffic in the area already due to trash pickup stations. I worry more about trash trucks. You moved next to a railroad track. What did you expect?"

The crowd listened to Horne, but few seemed to agree with him.

Siik said, "This will go a long way toward decreasing property taxes." Many laughed at that. The proposal could reach the Board of Supervisors sometime this summer.