Bud Hurlbut's trains from Knott's Berry Farm up for sale

Posted | Contributed by Jeff

Bud Hurlbut was a theme park innovator known for creating the Calico Mine Ride and the Timber Mountain Log Ride at Knott's Berry Farm, attractions that inspired imitation across the country and even caught the attention of Walt Disney. Hurlbut's shop, it's contents, and his possessions from his home will be sold; once the shop crew completes their current projects, the shop will be shut down.

Read more from The Orange County Register.

Related parks

Knott's Berry Farm

I like his miniature trains better than the CP Huntington design. Man, it would be nice if a bit of this history could be bought by CF and displayed in the park.

"I go out at 3 o' clock for a quart of milk and come home to my son treating his body like an amusement park!" - Estelle Costanza

Cedar Fair care about history? Riiiiight.

AV Matt
Long live the Big Bad Wolf

I agree with Matt, Any way possible that collection and shop could stay there in tact would be the best PR CF could have.

Call Q Investments, they know how to get Cedar Fair to act!

Bolliger/Mabillard for President in '08 NOT Dinn/Summers

Who owns all that stuff now? Is it all part of the Hurlbut estate?

--Dave Althoff, Jr. (tried to RTFA, but in the past hour hasn't been able to get it to load)

    /X\        _      *** Respect rides. They do not respect you. ***
   /XXX\      /X\     /X\_      _     /X\__      _     _        _____
  /XXXXX\    /XXX\   /XXXX\_   /X\   /XXXXX\    /X\   /X\      /XXXXX
_/XXXXXXX\__/XXXXX\/XXXXXXXX\_/XXX\_/XXXXXXX\__/XXX\_/XXX\_/\_/XXXXXX

The business is being handled by an executor. Once the last of the standing orders are completed (I understand that should be by mid summer) the assets of Hurlbut Amusement Co. will be sold. His house and it's contents will be sold and the monies derived will be given to the charities that Bud had selected.

Katiland Trains in Temecula, CA has acquired the Hurlbut Amusement Train operations. We are very proud to be able to carry on Bud's dream of building amusement park trains. We were also able to purchase the Dentzel carousel that Bud originally had set up at Knott's Lagoon on the side where the parking lot is now. Our company was already in the amusement park train business and this is the perfect way to expand our company and be able to service those who own Hurlbut trains or those who would like to own his trains and keep Bud's and his father's dream alive. Ironically, we were working with Knott's Berry Farm when Bud passed away so it has very sentimental value to our owner, Dino, to carry on this business. There are very few train builders that manufacture this size train...we were proud to be in the company of such an amazing talent like Bud's and hopefully our children will carry on our dream for years to come.

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