If there's one thing that separates people in the hobby, it's whether they're an operator or a collector. Now I know the differences personally, since a long time friend of mine is a collector, and all of his trains are in boxes - they've been that way since he's bought them.
Now I am the total opposite. I buy trains to run and play with, and almost always my trains have been bought used, including the non-prewar or postwar items I've bought in C7 Excellent or C8 Like New condition.
So it makes me wonder how many people will readily buy a Mint piece rather than a Used piece, or vice-versa? Personally, I like buying used trains. Why? It's because the train was once loved and cared for by the previous owner, and it feels like I am the next caretaker for it.