Post War Set Up - Golden Anniversary and More

[antiques-n-oldthings]

Good evening all,

My Father in Law has decided that it is time to part with his boyhood trains and accessories. He received his first O-27 Gauge Lionel set as a Christmas gift in the late 1940's. He and his Father set it up and added more pieces as time passed. A few years later, for his birthday, he was given a tool box full of tools. Sadly, as his interest in all things automotive grew, his enthusiasm for his toy trains waned. His father maintained his sets and occasionally ran them just for giggles. Eventually, Dad grew up and met my Mother in Law and was shortly after married. A few years later, along came my Husband. His Grandfather still having the set,  now had opportunity to show his Grandson all those wonderful trains. My Husband thought they were "cool" but like his Father, eventually set them aside for other things of interest. Grandpa boxed up the set and put it on his shelf. There it sat for years, until his passing. Then it came back to Dad and another shelf, where it has continued to sit since the 1980's. Dad and Mom are getting on in their years and are ready to thin out. We have approximately thirty boxed post war pieces, all in quite good or better order, including the gorgeous yellow and red Golden Anniversary diesels and 3 observation cars from 1950. Then there's the extras, catalogs, boxed bulbs, track, transformers and more bits and bobs than I know how to describe. What we are trying to decide is whether Ebay would be the best way to go. We have a couple of local auction houses near us but don't think that it would work out so well, as we are in "small town" Midwest. We would appreciate any advice or information anyone may have. Thanks a bunch.