With the war over, materials like steel were plentiful again, and the classic steel wagon shape was back in production. Because steel was needed for the war effort, the razor ride onss of the World War II era were made of wood. The company redesigned the wheel bearings to be smooth and quiet during this period. A 45-foot wood and plaster statue of a child riding one of his wagons and set up a booth at its base, where he sold mini Radio Flyer replicas to fair-goers for 25 cents each.
But when Antonio Pasin—inventor of the Radio Flyer—decided to invest $30,000 into a coaster wagon exhibit for the 1933 World’s Fair, he considered it the riskiest make-or-break moment of his life. The Hero Wagon was introduced as part of Radio Flyer’s 20-year partnership with Starlight Children’s Foundation, which over the years has helped Radio Flyer distribute more than 15,000 wagons to hospitals nationwide. For generations of American children, the Radio Flyer “Little Red Wagon” has been a classic toy.
The founder of the Radio Flyer® Wagon company, Antonio Pasin, was born in Venice. His family helped pay for his journey, and soon he was living in Chicago. He was a woodworker by trade, but had a difficult time finding work in that field. Eventually, after worker odd jobs, he saved up enough money to purchase his own equipment and began making wooden wagons in his basement. During the day, he walked the streets of Chicago peddling his samples. Pasin worked tirelessly and alone until 1923, when his wagon business had picked up enough that he was able to hire helpers.
It’s also home to a whole host of one-of-a-kind items made with love and extraordinary care. While many of the items on Etsy are handmade, you’ll also find craft supplies, digital items, and more. Character wagons – Popular characters like Mickey Mouse and Davy Crockett found their way onto the wagons of this era. These were various colors, including bright blue and yellow, and they featured the standard steel wagon shape with the name on the side. Streak-O-Lite – One of the most iconic styles, this wagon had a tapered design and an optional real working headlight on the front. Inspired by the gigantic, 45-foot radio flyer wagon on exhibit at the 1933 World’s Fair, as well as the streamlined styling of swift passenger trains of the era, the Radio Flyer wagons of the 1930s were sleek and shiny.
Its real rubber air tires are made for rolling on any type of terrain, and its extra long handle is made to fold underneath the body of the wagon for convenient storage when not in use. These wagons are a departure from the classic all-steel bodied wagons Radio Flyer made famous. Instead of steel bodies that sit up razor ride ons high, plastic wagon bodies sit down low. Instead of the flat floor you find on a metal wagon, you get molded-in seats, deep footwells and high seat backs for kids’ riding comfort. Three-in-one plastic wagons quickly and easily convert from two-passenger face-to-face seating to fold-down bench seating to cargo mode.
Large mesh panels along the sides allow plenty of ventilation. The Veer Cruiser can carry two kiddos weighing up to 55 pounds each. Seats are contoured with venting on the backs, one-touch foot braking offers parental peace of mind, and the wagon folds up into itself for optimal storage. The Step2 Wagon for 2 Plus can carry up to 75 pounds and is easy to keep clean with sanitizing wipes or soap and water. We researched kid wagons from top brands and retailers, considering size, structure, and durability, as well as any extra features each model offers.