Weatherly borough officials are resurrecting plans to help preserve and reuse the historic train works sitting at the town's center.

The borough is planning to work with the Carbon County Redevelopment Authority to seek grants from the federal government for the revitalization, which has been discussed in the borough for more than a decade.Borough council agreed this month to temporarily transfer the property to the redevelopment authority so they can begin the process to get grants from the federal government.Borough officials are hoping that they can receive funding from the Environmental Protection Agency for the former industrial property.The train works is a roughly 4-acre parcel with three buildings. It was built by the Lehigh Valley Railroad to produce locomotives in the 19th century, and was later replaced by Weatherly Steel, which closed in 1989.One of them contains the Weatherly Area Community Museum, a robust collection of historical artifacts from the town and railroad, collected by late historian John 'Jack' Koehler.Borough manager Harold Pudliner told council that the hope is to get a $250,000 grant to do a feasibility study for the revitalization of the property, and to construct a paved parking lot for the museum.He said that the borough lost out on the grant last year because they had not conducted a "Phase I Environmental Assessment," which is necessary for the grant.Pudliner said that the plan is to transfer the property to the redevelopment authority, who will have the environmental assessment done in the borough's name. It would then be deeded back to the borough.The borough took over the Train Works from the Weatherly Rotary Club in 2010. The rotary club bought to keep it in local hands after it was put on the market in 2004.Other mattersWeatherly Borough Council has promoted a code enforcement official they say is doing a great job.Frank Shor was promoted to code enforcement officer from his previous position as deputy.Pudliner, who had been the officer for more than a decade, resigned from that position."Mr. Shor has been doing a great job in town. It seems like he may be sticking around for a while. It only makes sense he goes from deputy to code enforcer," Mayor/council President Tom Connors said.