NORTON - State transportation officials got an earful of criticism Tuesday over the possibility of a new South Coast commuter rail line that would cut through Norton, Mansfield and Attleboro.

Concerns included the project's cost, effect on nearby homeowners, and environmental impact.

Norton Selectmen Chairman Bob Kimball, saying he spoke for the leaders of Mansfield, Norton, Attleboro and Taunton, declared: "We will take whatever action is necessary in order to curb the ridiculous idea of putting a train track through this area. We're unified on that, and we're going to stand by it."

Kimball added that the towns would be prepared to take legal action, if it came to that.

A parade of other elected officials followed him. State Rep. Betty Poirier, R-North Attleboro, said even considering the proposed route is "a fallacy." State Sen. James Timilty, D-Walpole, called it a "nonstarter."

State Rep. Jay Barrows, R-Mansfield, pointed out that the proposed route, which would run along the now defunct Old Colony Railroad in Mansfield, would go through the regional sewer treatment plant and shut down a popular bike trail.

Attleboro Mayor Kevin Dumas and Mansfield Selectman George Dentino both said the proposed route would provide no benefit to the local communities.

They were among more than 100 people who attended Tuesday's meeting held in the gymnasium of the J. C. Solmonese Elementary School.

Local residents complained that the state should put more weight on the route's impact on property owners.

The cities of New Bedford and Fall River have been clamoring for years to get a commuter rail line to link their cities to the state capital, and Gov. Deval Patrick has promised to have the trains up and running by 2016.

After years of studies and a concerted local campaign to have the trains go elsewhere, a 2002 state environmental review rejected the Attleboro route in favor of taking the trains through Stoughton.

But two federal agencies which were not involved in that review, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers, had further concerns about the impact of Stoughton route.

To get their approval, state officials have now restarted the review process from scratch.

Out of more than 60 options, officials are zeroing in on four possible routes: Attleboro, Stoughton, Middleboro, and a track running north on the state highway routes 24, 140, and 128. The next step for the state is picking which routes to study seriously in a two-year review. Local opponents of the Attleboro route are aiming to have it rejected so it does not advance to the next round.

Under the current plan, a final decision on which route to use will be made in 2010, and the four-year construction of the 50-mile train route would begin in 2012.

The project is an expensive one. The estimated cost of building the Stoughton route is $1.4 billion, according to Kristina Egan, the official in charge of the project for the state Executive Office of Transportation. The present planning phase alone is costing $17.2 million, she said.

TED NESI can be reached at tnesi@thesunchronicle.com or 508-236-0434.