In August, Knott’s revealed plans for a new roller coaster, HangTime, and now, a little more than six months later, the track is completed and train testing has begun.

The surrounding area is currently a construction zone, but by the end of the month the state is set to begin its testing and commissioning inspections.

“When the state arrives on their first day, you’re basically saying the ride is ready to open to the public,” Knott’s vice president of maintenance Jeff Gahagan said. “Everything has to be in place.”

At that time, fencing will be put up around the ride, the concrete, walkways and signage will be added, along with landscaping and any touch-up painting. Training will also begin for operators and maintenance staff.

The exterior of the HangTime shop from outside the construction area at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park. (Staff photo by Michelle J. Mills).

A painter works on a mural on the wall behind the HangTime attraction at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park. (Staff photo by Michelle J. Mills).

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A view of HangTime’s coaster rails inside the construction area at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park. (Staff photo by Michelle J. Mills).

Knott’s vice president of maintenance Jeff Gahagan inside the HangTime construction area at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park. (Staff photo by Michelle J. Mills).

A view looking at the first drop of the HangTime roller coaster inside the construction area at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park. (Staff photo by Michelle J. Mills).



A future walkway for guests in line for HangTime at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park. (Staff photo by Michelle J. Mills).

LED lights like this one are being mounted to the track for HangTime at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park. (Staff photo by Michelle J. Mills).

The newly reopened Sky Cabin can be seen through the rails of Hang Time at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park. (Staff photo by Michelle J. Mills).

The steps up to the station platform of Hang Time at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park. (Staff photo by Michelle J. Mills).

The loading platform of Hang Time at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park. (Staff photo by Michelle J. Mills).



A view along the platform and the first hill of of Hang Time at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park. (Staff photo by Michelle J. Mills).



The HangTime shop from the attraction’s exit at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park. (Staff photo by Michelle J. Mills).

A HangTime train on the maintenance track at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park. (Staff photo by Michelle J. Mills).

The “brains” of HangTime are behind these doors in the maintenance area at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park. (Staff photo by Michelle J. Mills).



The front of an orange train for Hang Time at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park. (Staff photo by Michelle J. Mills).

The seats have surfboard-styled headrests on Hang Time at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park. (Staff photo by Michelle J. Mills).

Water dummies sitting by the maintenance area at Hang Time at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park. (Staff photo by Michelle J. Mills).

Once the ride gets the state’s approval, HangTime will still not open immediately, as there will still be final finessing and staff training.

“There is also ‘burn time,’ what we call it, where we want to put more hours onto the ride so that when you open the first day you don’t have any issues that you didn’t expect. We’ll be constantly cycling it with the water dummies on there to simulate actually being open and busy all the time,” Gahagan said.

A water dummy is formed like a human torso with a head and thighs, but no extremities. They are placed in the ride’s seats as passengers and filled with 250 pounds of water to simulate real riders during the testing period.

Related: Everything you need to know about HangTime, the new roller coaster coming to Knott’s

The process of constructing HangTime has gone smoothly, according to Gahagan, unlike some attractions in the park. For example, a Ford Model T automobile was found when digging was done to put in Supreme Scream. Also, when he was working on a project for Sierra Sidewinder, a concrete box was unearthed big enough for a man to stand in. It had been a planter for a pine tree before it was buried.

On opening day of HangTime, guests will see surfboards and wood beach fencing at the ride’s entrance. The queue will be covered by sailcloth tenting and flanked by sand and a view of 60 different specimens of plants, including palms and beach grasses. The train station will be a wooden structure with a lifeguard stand and the maintenance shop will be themed as a surfboard shop where boards are being made. On the way out of the attraction, the HangTime shop will boast early ‘60s nautical stylings.

“Opening day is always my favorite, because for me I’ve been working on this attraction for three years and to finally see the guests’ reaction …to actually see the guests that are coming on here every day, that’s my favorite day,” Gahagan said.

Related: What will be the best new theme park attractions to open in 2018?

Gahagan plans to be the first one in line to ride HangTime and shares his tip as to the best place to sit.

“It varies on the ride, so this ride I want to go in the front seat first because of the fact it’s holding you at that 60 degree angle and the track disappearing,” Gahagan said. “On a lot of other coasters, I want to be in the back to get that whipping and all that feeling.”

HangTime is currently on schedule to open early this summer.