Radio Flyer Wagon: You Have Come a long Way Baby

Mar 16
11:35

2011

Ronald Richards

Ronald Richards

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Radio Flyer Wagon's have been an icon for children growing up for many decades and most likely for decades to come.

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Few toys scream Americana more than a little red Radio Flyer wagon being pulled behind a kid in Smalltown,Radio Flyer Wagon: You Have Come a long Way Baby Articles U.S.A. It's one of those icons that you just didn't expect to change all that much, even with all the technological advances of our times. Simple just seems better sometimes.Today's luxury model wagons are no longer made of stamped steel but of polyethylene, and finishes are approaching that of a car. Radio Flyer wagons come with inflatable tires that spin on ball bearings instead of plain steel rods. The company's target audience is no longer that Rockwellian kid in a straw hat and overalls. Its product now competes with high-end strollers and baby carriages.
The beginnings of Radio Flyer began in 1917 when Italian immigrant Antonio Pasin saved enough money to purchase some used wood working equipment and rented a one-room workshop. In this workshop, Pasin began fashioning wagons by night and selling them during the day. The business grew by adding more employees and in 1923 they became known as the Liberty Coaster Company, named after the Statue of Liberty,and creating the No.4 Liberty Coaster wagon, which were sold directly to stores by Pasin himself.  In 1930, the company is renamed Radio Steel & Manufacturing and naming his first steel wagon the Radio Flyer, after his fascination with the invention of the radio by fellow Italian, Guglielmo Marconi; and Flyer, which reflected his wonderment of flight.
Throughout the next decades the company flourished and had secured its name in households across America by branching out and manufacturing other products besides quality wagons. Radio Flyer forged ahead with new products and innovative designs to keep pace with the ever-changing needs of their consumer. Among them were sleds, tricycles, stand-up scooters and wheel barrows just to name a few, but the one constant that had always remained was the various Radio Flyer Wagons.
It's a new world, and today’s families want safety, comfort and convenience and the company continues to create new and exciting products that reflect the needs of today’s on-the-go family. The Radio Flyer wagons of today like the Pathfinder and the Ultimate Family are equipped with major storage capacity and molded cup holders for refreshments. The tires are extra large that make the ride smooth and very quiet. Seatbelts help to keep fidgeting children in place and from falling out. Yes the Radio Flyer has come a long way from it's humble beginnings, but still remain nostalgic for those who have grown up with them and will become nostalgic for those who will be growing up with for generations to come.