TUFFBAG has been in existence for 20 years. It all started in 1980, in the home of Scott and Alene Shurtleff. Scott, who is a railroader with Union Pacific Railroad, couldn't find a bag that would meet his needs. He is a very organized person, so he needed lots of pockets that would work for him. He also needed a well built bag that would stand up to the beatings bags take during a railroaders travels.

Scott designed the first bag. Alene sewed it at their home in Salt Lake City, Utah. Alene was spending a lot of time at her sewing machine. She hired her sister Vana to sew some of the orders in her home in Pocatello, Idaho. Soon their mother Nita joined the team, sewing on her old fashioned treadle sewing machine.

Vana got a full time job elsewhere. She didn't build bags for a few years. In 1983, Alene became very busy with her growing family, so was no longer sewing, but was still taking orders. Nita was doing all of the sewing, still on her treadle machine. Soon TUFFBAG was turned over to Nita, so Alene could become a full time mom again. Nita got an electric sewing machine in order to keep up. TUFFBAG was then stationed in Pocatello, Idaho.

When it got too busy for Nita to keep up with, her sister Helen joined the ranks. Nita's husband Boyd, who had been driving a cement truck for many years, got very involved in the business also. During winter lay-offs, he and Nita would travel around the country promoting the TUFFBAGS at various train yards. Vana and Helen would take care of the business at home during their trips.

TUFFBAG became very busy. In 1986, Boyd became a full time TUFFBAG man. He sewed, cut out bags, and began designing new bags. Union Pacific Railroad was impressed by our bags. They ordered specialty bags and other items. It wasn't long until other railroads heard of TUFFBAG and their good reputation of sturdy, workable bags.

In 1988, Vana was sewing full time again. Nina, Vana's sister, started sewing bags in 1992. Vana's sons, Johnny and Jamey, and her daughter Jolene were working too.

In 1993, Boyd and Nita retired. Vana took over running the company. She drove 40 miles to work everyday from her home in Rockland, Idaho, 80 miles round trip. In 1994, Vana's husband Ray and her nephew John, moved a trailer into the back yard at Rockland, using a friends tractor. A lot of people worked on it evenings and week ends, getting it ready for TUFFBAG to move. Labor day weekend, 1994, the move was made. Vana walks out her back door and across the back yard to get to work now, taking less than a minute.

Ray helps with the business by doing the upkeep on the trailer, building new shelves for bags, running errands, taking orders when Vana's not around and sometimes watching the kids so Vana can get some work done.

Thank you to all the people that have made us a success: the railroaders all over the country, the firemen, the truckers, the home health nurses, the schools, the EMT's, the air travelers, the railroads, the athletes and friends and all of their families. By spreading the word, showing your bags to others and passing out flyers, you've helped us immensely.

If you need a high quality bag, we have one to suit your needs, or we can build one!!

Special thanks to Dad, Mom, Alene, Scott, Helen, Nina, Jamey, Ray, Brenda, Don, John T, Chris, Johnny J, Jolene, Margaret, Nathan, my baby sitter Carol, and to Rose.

Vana Turnbeaugh