If your dad went to Chicago, it was probably to Wheaton, where I set up for several years. I would recommend at least one trip to that show, to familiarize yourself with shows, and prices...doubting if you would want to make that a routine, but you might want to make a second trip, setting up, again as a "test"., IF you have priced some items. If you don't think you yet have fair prices, and since this is an O scale (two rail) collection, another "test" show to take a look at, is the "March" meet O SCALE show in Chicago, which this year is the weekend of the first of APRIL. There you would encounter specialized dealers in O scale, where many dealers are primarily in three rail/tinplate (Lionel, American Flyer, Marx). This is mostly what you find at Wheaton. (maybe your dad went exclusively to the March meet, which, unfortunately, is only once a year, while Wheaton is on almost every month...I have never seen much O scale at Wheaton, but that might be a plus, if you are the only one selling) Another O scale show is a September one in Indianapolis, at the airport, (there was a lot of chatter about an estate sale of brass there this past year, where, per the chatter, did not happen, but people were there looking for it). Chicago is closer for you. If, and I wouldn't, you decide to sell through an auction house, Ted Maurer in Pa. and another closer in NE Indiana have good reputations and are train specialists. General auctioneers may know little or nothing. And keep a few pieces....you might vacation in Colorado narrow gauge country and discover why he was crazy about it.
