He incorporated his business as the Liberty Coaster Wagon Company, fondly naming it after the Statue of Liberty that had greeted him when he arrived in his new country. But no one remains on top forever, and when Little Tykes and Step2 introduced plastic wagons in the early 1990s, Radio Flyer faltered. These flashy, cheaper wagons could take on a wider range of designs than the company’s classic metal-stamped variety. By 1917, Antonio saved enough money to rent a one-room workshop, where he began building phonograph cabinets and a variety of other objects upon request.
He carries a twinkle in his eye — that vanishes quickly on the subject of failure. Most of what gets developed in the prototype shop, though, never makes it that far. Tom Schlegel, executive vice president of design and business development — essentially head elf of Radio Flyer — explains in much blunter fashion. Wagons are a fun way to tote around toddlers between the ages of 2 and 5 years old.
Purchase the wagon inspired by Antonio Pasin’s original creation. The bright-red steel wagon maintains the classic lines with a modernized twist, thanks to upgrades like an improved handle design. During the 1940s, with America at war, the Radio Flyer® Wagon company stopped making wagons. Instead, they focused their energies on supporting the war effort by making their iconic red Blitz Cans, which were five gallon cans meant to carry water and fuel to troops.
The Liberty Coaster Company began producing the wooden bodied “No. 4 Liberty Coaster” in 1923. In 1927, Pasin replaced the wooden body with stamped steel, taking advantage of assembly line manufacturing techniques and earning him the nickname “Little Ford”. 1500 wagons a day rolled off assembly lines even during the Great Depression.
When hauling cargo, fold away the seats and the extra tall sides will provide maximum storage. With an easy 1-handed hold, you can take or store the wagon anywhere The UV-resistant canopy protects your kids from the sun and can be stored in the rear storage pouch for added convenience. The canopy poles retract into the wagon frame when not in use. The fabric radio flyer wagon can be and features 2 front cup holders, plus a strap to hold the handle upright when not in use. This wagon has a maximum weight capacity of 150 pounds as is meant for ages 1.5 and up. Sixteen-year-old Italian immigrant Antonio Pasin arrived in New York in 1914 carrying little else than the carpentry skills he had learned from his father and grandfather.
They have all steel bodies with rolled edge rails and are coated with materials that won’t scratch. The classic Radio Flyer wagon has 10-inch steel wheels and durable solid rubber tires. The easy-swivel handle turns the front wheels and tucks underneath the wagon out of sight when not in use.
If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. Nice, though not unique — there’s one in Spokane, WA that children are allowed to climb. An employee’s workbench at the Radio Flyer prototype shop bears tools, supplies and figurines for inspiration.
Now they are donating 1,000 every year to children’s hospitals across the country, including Carilion Children’s Hospital. Radio Flyer and Starlight have been doing these wagons for about 20 years and they’ve given more than 15,000 to hospitals in places where they’re needed. Doctors, nurses, child life specialists and caregivers across the US rely on these wagons every day as an integral part of a child’s pediatric care. “Our mission is to bring smiles to all children and create warm memories that last a lifetime. If we can help bring even one smile to kids enduring some of their hardest times, we’ve exceeded that mission with the Hero Wagon.” “It’s just been this incredible partnership,” says Pasin, who’s led the company since 1997 and is the grandson of Antonio Pasin, who founded Radio Flyer in 1917.
It had big red wheels and “Highway Chief” in white letters on the side. In 1923, after Antonio’s business had grown to include several employees, he founded the Liberty Coaster Company. He named the company after the razor ride ons Statue of Liberty that had welcomed him into the country. Continuing to grow his company, Pasin began using the technology of metal stamping and mass production techniques similar to those used in the auto industry.