Hurlbut sold his ranch, his home, and his new Cadillac to raise money to build the experiment. Part way through construction though, he had to go to Walter Knott and explain that his funds were running out. Knott asked him, "Well, you know what you're doing, right?" Hurlbut described his reply to Knott this way: "I told him 'Yeah, sure.' I never lied to him again." Knott allowed Hurlbut to suspend his rent payments, and Knott also agreed to pay for a promotional film for the new ride. Hurlbut was able to complete construction and the ride became an instant success. In 1966, Knott built a full-scale replica of Independence Hall at the park. As a gift, Hurlbut created an exact replica of the Liberty Bell and gave it to Knott, which is still on display in the hall. Bud Hurlbut's train business was bought and is under production at Western Train Co. since 2011. The Amusement Rides Manufacturer keeps up with the service of Bud's original trains and offers replica train rides now known as "Hurlbut Miniatures". Timber Mountain Log Ride In 1968, Hurlbut broke ground on building the Timber Mountain Log Ride, another collaboration with Arrow Development, which, along with the Mine Ride, is still considered one of the iconic rides of the park, and one of the most popular. Many guests ride it twice or more when they visit - on some days the turnstile ridership of the Log Ride exceeds that of the front gate of the park. The ride demonstrates great attention to detail, which is the key characteristic of Hurlbut's creations. Many of the items seen on the ride are actual cast-iron gears, steam donkey engines, and sawmill equipment from over a hundred years ago. Marty Keithly, former general manager of Knott's Berry Farm, said, "There would not be a Knott's Berry Farm theme park today if it were not for the talent, determination and creativity of Bud Hurlbut." Castle Park Hurlbut designed and operated his own amusement park, Castle Park, in Riverside, California. He was also one of the creators of Knott's Scary Farm, an annual event at Knott's. Hurlbut was one of the original Haunt Monsters, wearing an ape costume. He hid inside the Calico Mine Train ride, and popped out to scare guests. There are now more than 1,000 "monsters" at Halloween Haunt, and the event has grown to be the