(WSBT) A LaPorte County task force charged with gathering more information on a proposed intermodal rail hub met for the first time Wednesday night. Some say they still don't have any more answers about what the proposed hub might look like, or where it might one day be built.

The proposed hub would serve as a transfer point where thousands of freight trains and semi trucks would unload and reload cargo for distribution across the Midwest.

Some believe one potential site sits on thousands of acres of farmland surrounding State Road 39 and U.S. 6 near Union Mills. But county leaders continue to stress that no proposals for that site have been made by any company, though they did admit Wednesday night that it is "fairly accurate speculation that something is in the works."

Last month nearly 600 people packed into Union Mills to search for answers on that speculation, and many say they came up empty. Dozens showed up at Wednesday's meeting too with many of the same questions.

Signs continue to grow across the landscape of Union Mills. All bear a clear message.

'No intermodal' some say. "Land not for sale," say others.

Last month, Ruth Minich and nearly 600 of her neighbors brought that message to county leaders. Wednesday night, Ruth took that message north across the same tracks that might someday bring all that cargo as she took her seat on LaPorte County's new 21 member "Intermodal Task Force," convened by the County Council and county commissioners.

Ruth had more questions than ever.

"Could we get these individuals here?" she asked the task force. "Surely someone knows their blueprint! And if that would be possible, maybe we could find another location."

But county leaders continue to stress that there is no official site.

"We don't have a firm proposal on the table from any developer," said LaPorte County Commissioner Mike Bohacek.

He says the task force was simply formed to gather information.

"Our task is to find and bring forward to the community facts about the impact of an intermodal," agreed newly elected task force chairman David Christian. "Good, bad, whatever."

But some at the task force's first meeting say they're not convinced.

"I'm a bit concerned about the nature of this task force," said Edward Nunn, who owns land near Union Mills, and co-chairs a group called "Stop Intermodals, Save Our County" or SISOC for short. "What are its key derivables? To whom? And what is it's actual decision making authority? Why not use and recycle some derelict industrial land, of which we're not short in Northwest Indiana? Why rip up new farmland?"

Christian says the task force formed six committees to find the answers to those, and other questions.

The committees are listed below:

1) Environmental and Social Impact

2) Research on Intermodal Use — including a trip to at least one other Intermodal facility in Joliet, Ill.

3) Evaluation of All Potential Intermodal Proposals in LaPorte County

4) Cost Benefit Analysis — including potential impacts on the county's tax base and economic growth

5) Public Feedback — including feedback from elected officials

6) Budget and Staffing for the Intermodal Task Force Itself

Ruth promises she'll push to be a part of every one of those committees, and won't stop pushing until every one of her questions has an answer.

"I'll push forward to get that information, that's my nature," she said. "Somebody knows something!"

There is no time line on how long that process might take, but you can watch the task force's progress online by clicking the following link: www.laportecounty.biz

The task force meets again on October 17.