By this time, the company was a distinct anomaly in the U.S. toy industry, because it had remained privately owned and was still run by the family of its founder. Mario Pasin had succeeded his father Antonio, and Mario’s sons Robert and Paul also were involved in the firm. Larger companies had made competitive inroads in the wagon business. One competitor was Rubbermaid, mostly known for its kitchenware, but which produced a line of plastic wagons through its Little Tikes division.
It’s just as long and only a foot narrower in width, with a slide to boot. Still, it’s the Chicago wagon that holds the place of honor in the Guinness book of World Records. Pasin explained that the constellation of Radio Flyer products is meant to provide something for every family, frozen ride on toy each step of the way. Pasin’s grandfather, Antonio, first set eyes on the Statue of Liberty in April of 1914. Apparently, the statue left a deep enough impression on Antonio that, when it came time to name his first toy wagon line, he chose to call it the Liberty Coaster.
Today, a 15,000-pound red wagon stands guard on the front lawn of the nine-acre lot, which is hemmed in by rows of shrubs and a black steel fence. Parents Billy and Laura Reece said it brings a bit of comfort for their 2-year-old daughter, Emma, during chemotherapy treatments. Emma is a Leukemia patient at Mercy Children’s Hospital in St. Louis. It’s well constructed, super-fun, undeniably beautiful and big enough to make a splash on Christmas morning. Kids can ride inside — the steel body is still built with no seams, so it’s smooth and comfortable — or cart around dolls, trucks, empty cardboard boxes, or anything else they find intriguing.
The $1800 M880 is a mid-tail cargo bike, capable of hauling 300 pounds. It has five-level pedal assist, an LCD display with an odometer, a 500-watt rear hub razor ride ons motor, both a brake and an LED headlight, and a 48-volt, 720-watt-hour battery. It can reach 20 miles per hour, and cruise 30 to 50 miles on a charge .
You start by choosing a base for your Radio Flyer Stroller Wagon. Every stroller wagon base will have a push handle, which is similar to a jogging stroller. These push handles can adjust for height, or fold all the way down for storing, and this is what makes your wagon a stroller instead of simply a decked-out wagon. Because steel was needed for the war effort, the radio flyer wagons of the World War II era were made of wood. The company redesigned the wheel bearings to be smooth and quiet during this period. They featured all metal bodies, colorful wheels, and plenty of imagination-sparking details.