The Building of Crystal Beach Park's
“Laff in the
Dark” Page 3
By Richard Doan
 On November 29th 1935
Chambers writes to Hall on deliver of parts: " We cannot understand why
the side boards cracked as they were alright when they left here as I inspected
them just before they were crated. On some earlier cars we used 1 "
material but for the last few years we used 3/4" which has proven
satisfactory. We can appreciate that sides may look a little flimsy in
comparison with the 2" material on the Lindy Loop cars. However our cars
are amply strong and have never given us trouble. In order to tell you exactly
how much track you would lose by using the big cars (Dodgem), I would have to
have the length and width of the cars so I could make a new layout of the
track. We are just not sure what to say about whether you should try to rebuild
the old cars or whether you should use the material in them to build cars of
our design. Our own experience has been that it costs more in labor to remodel
old material than what new material is worth.
 However in your case, you
have some men whom you are paying anyway and this might not enter seriously
into the situation. You of course, would understand that it would make no
difference to us which course you follow, but we do want to try to steer you
right and see that you get a first class job at the least amount of cost to
you. With the car which we sent you, there is no doubt but you could work out a
scheme to remodel your present cars. I believe they are considerably heavier
and I am not sure whether the motor would be large enough to carry it or not,
although it probably would"
 My own opinion of this
letter is that Chambers may have been
frustrated at Hall trying to make the Dodgem cars into LITD cars and
saving a few bucks. We know that Hall did use Chambers style cars. Toward the
end of the letter Chambers writes " Regarding the laying of the track,
your men could lay it. It is very necessary that all of the curves be bent
perfectly and that there are no kinks in the track, especially in the curves as
this would tend to throw the cars of the track."
On December 10th 1935
Chambers again writes to Hall "We understand that you want us to furnish
the trucks complete with all attachments for the 11 cars. I'm not sure whether
you want us to furnish the jack shaft bearing We will not do anything on the
wheels until we find out whether you can use wheels from your Custer car. In as
much as we are furnishing this material to you at cost and our material and
labor must be paid for as the job progresses, I am wondering if it would be
satisfactory to you to have us ship this material with a draft attached?"
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