Kato - 5146 - Passenger Car, Baggage, Mani 44 - Japanese National Railways - 44 2109

Specific Item Information: During the Showa era, luggage transportation by rail was carried out by luggage vehicles connected to passenger trains, but as the amount of transportation increased, dedicated luggage trains began to operate, and the Tokaido/Sanyo Main Line and Express luggage trains were also operated on trunk lines such as the Tohoku Main Line. In 1968, pallet transportation began with a new pallet car that appeared as a trump card for the modernization of cargo transportation. Among them, Mani 44 is called the completed version of the pallet luggage car. At first glance, it looks like a freight car, and you can see it playing an active role in combination with conventional luggage cars and postal cars. Features: Entire body is coated with No. 15 blue- Mani 44 2109 Conductor chamber side only Tail Lights (with off switch) DCC friendly

Road Name History: Japanese National Railways (日本国有鉄道 Nihon Kokuyū Tetsudō), abbreviated Kokutetsu (国鉄) or "JNR", was the business entity that operated Japan's national railway network from 1949 to 1987.
By 1987, JNR's debt was over ¥27 trillion ($280 billion at 2009 exchange rates) and the company was spending ¥147 for every ¥100 earned. By an act of the Diet of Japan, on April 1, 1987 JNR was privatized and divided into seven railway companies, six passenger and one freight, collectively called the Japan Railways Group or JR Group.

From Wikipedia

Brand/Importer Information: Kato Precision Railroad Models (関水金属株式会社 Sekisui Kinzoku Kabushikigaisha) is a Japanese manufacturer of model railroad equipment in N and HO scales. The Tokyo-based company manufactures models based on Japanese prototypes (such as the Shinkansen bullet train) for the Japanese market, North American prototypes for the North American market and European high-speed trains for European market.
The Kato (pronounced kah-toe) model railroad companies were founded by Yuji Kato, father of current president Hiroshi Kato, of the parent company Sekisui Kinzoku Co., Ltd.

The design and distribution of models for the North American market are handled by their U.S. subsidiary, Kato USA, located in Schaumburg, Illinois.
The design of special models for the European market is handled for some of them by their partner, Lemke, whereas the general distribution of Kato products in Europe is handled by NOCH; both companies are located in Germany.
As a result, some Kato European models are sold as Kato Lemke and others as Kato (alone).