The Lionel Cop and Hobo Car No. 3357 is sometimes confused with the Animated Gondola Car No. 3444.

The cop and the hobo move between the GRAY platform on top of the box car and the BLACK bridge that spanned the track. To accommodate the superstructure for this car required the changing of the mold for the box car that resulted in the Type IIb body. The cop and the hobo are held in place by a magnet on each of these platforms. The original figures have FLESH colored hands and faces, while the later issued MPC versions are WHITE.

This operating car is not complete without the two figures, the GRAY superstructure that is mounted on the car, and the bridge. These came in a separate box that was issued as No. 3365-23 or No. 3357-27.

Available from 1962 through 1964, early versions of this car, produced until mid-1963, have two operating disc couplers, while those produced after this date usually have one operating and one solid non-operating coupler. There are two variations:

Variation A: Uses a Type IIb body.
Variation B: Uses a Type III body.