How Does the Radio Flyer Wagon Work?

What is a Radio Flyer Wagon?

Made by the Radio Steel & Manufacturing Company of Chicago, Illinois, the little red Radio Flyer Wagon has been an American classic since it's inception in 1923. The company was started by Antiono Pasin, an Italian immigrant who built his first wagons out of wood. The first of the all steel wagons he produced was given the name Radio Flyer in homage to Pasin's love of radio and airplanes. The company was the first to mass produce children's toy wagons, borrowing technology from the Ford Motor Company to put together their own production line. This enabled Radio Steel & Manufacturing produce their toy wagons for a fraction of the cost of their competitors, keeping the company afloat during the Depression while many others went bankrupt. While the company, in its long history, produced many other miscellaneous steel goods, the Radio Flyer Wagon was its only success. Since then the company has been renamed Radio Flyer and produces many different toy wagons and their accessories for today's children. Many new designs are available, but the iconic red Radio Flyer Wagon is still the preferred buy on the market.

How Was The Radio Flyer Wagon Made?

The floor and sides of the wagon were made from a single sheet of stainless steel. The steel was fitted into a press and a giant piston came down with several thousands pounds of pressure per square inch to punch the sheet into shape. Three holes were bored into the base, one at the front and two at the back. The shaped base was hung on an assembly line, painted and then powder coated to ensure that the metal would not rust and the paint would never chip. A fixed axle and support struts were screwed into place underneath the rear of the wagon, while a single large swiveling axle was attached to the front. A long angled lever was attached to the front swiveling axle. Rubberized wheels with painted hubcaps were affixed to the axles. The side of the wagon was stamped with the Radio Flyer logo in white paint to finish the wagon.

How Did the Radio Flyer Wagon Work?

The Radio Flyer Wagon was a multipurpose gender-neutral toy dependent on the endless curiosity and ingenuity of the child to determine its use. Many children used it to haul around collections and other things they'd found and picked up while they were out exploring. Some used it to pull around pets and give rides to younger siblings. The most common and much beloved manner in which it functioned was as a propelled car. The child would sit in the wagon and hold onto the lever connected to the front axle in order to ride down a hill or side walk. To steer the child would pull the lever to the side, moving the axle with it. With a little experience a child could propel the wagon forward by pumping the lever from one side to the other. This would work the axle from side to side, forcing the whole wagon forward. The child could get moving very fast if he developed sufficient momentum.

Resources

• Radio Flyer's Website