Maybe the best deal I got were some almost new Atlas O, O-54 switches that my LHS had sold new to someone and they later decided they wanted O-72's. They traded them
back in to my LHS for the O-72's. They gave me a really good deal on these and they were all in excellent condition. The original owner had never even wired up the switch machines. They looked like they had never been used and I got them for half price. A few dozen more of those and I would be all set on switches for life.
Also the 1:43/1:48/1:50 vehicles available at many places are often very reasonably priced, some real bargains out there on those items if you keep your eyes open for them.
Many things I have purchased used have had problems, probably why the person was getting rid of them. Parts are no longer available for some of these items and I can't fix them. Got most on ebay, so I have stopped doing that. We have very few trains shows here and the ones they have are almost all HO & N, very little O gauge. I have gone to mostly new purchases unless something used it in really good condition.
