No plain DC version available from dealer

[Brakie]

That's probably it. If you only have so many modelers or hobby shops, you won't see that much in the way of DCC if nobody uses it there.
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The tri county area where I live is rich in railroad history and thus we have a abundance of modelers probably higher then normal and there is one hobby shop.Now go sixty miles South to Columbus and DCC is heavy used.I know most clubs in Columbus is DCC.
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Still, I don't think DCC is just some fad being pushed by the magazines.
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Actually if you check you see MR did indeed push DCC.In fact a editor boldly stated he toured some layouts in DC and DCC was "everywhere".

I didn't buy that for one second since DCC was still in its infancy but,did notice this happen around the same time DCC advertisements started showing up.The next few featured layouts was DCC along with several DCC articles.

MR been known to push certain products and ideas while ignoring other things.MR endorse C83 but,never endorse C70-this was around the time C83 hit the hobby shops.

MR yet to endorse fine scale modeling.