Welcome to the forum!
You are a good son, giving your father such a nice gift!

The CW-80 transformer should operate the locomotive without any difficulty.

All modern transformers can operate any vintage trains, however the older transformers do not have the capability to operate all the sounds in newer locomotives, such as a ringing bell. You would need an accessory Sound Activation Button to do so with a vintage transformer. http://www.ebay.com/itm/LIONEL-SOUND-ACTIVATION-BUTTON-LIONEL-6-5906-SOUND-ACTIVATION-BUTTON-FREE-SHIP-/121366586171?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item1c4203233b

The CW-80 transformer will operate the sounds on old and new equipment.

Larry