Richland, PA

Richland is a quiet Lebanon County community of around 1,500 residents with one very famous quirk right in the center of town. An active freight rail line runs directly through the main square, crossing the intersection of Main and Race streets. Since these are the primary routes connecting the north and south sides of the borough, a passing train literally splits the town in half for a few minutes. It is an unusual daily reality that has even earned Richland trivia fame on Jeopardy! and in Ripley's Believe It or Not!.

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The tracks have shaped the borough since the 1850s, when the railway first turned the area into a bustling hub for local farms. Today, the line remains fully active, running right through the heart of the community. Getting caught at the crossing is just a routine pause in the day, giving the borough a distinctive rhythm that fits right in with its peaceful Lebanon Valley surroundings.