Chris Sawyer's Locomotion how does the performance index work?

Answer 1

taken from the locomotion manual...

Performance Index

Your Performance Index constantly monitors your proficiency. A high Performance Index shows that you are doing a good job. A low rating indicates that your efforts are not providing for the needs of the towns and people who are depending on you. This rating figures prominently in the goals for many of the scenarios.

Your Performance Index is expressed as both a percentage and a Corporate Rating. The Corporate Ratings that correspond to each percentage score are listed in the following table.

...(table)...

Your Performance Index is continuously updated and shown on the Status Display. When a green up-arrow appears next to the rating, your score is on the rise. When a red down-arrow is next to the rating, the Performance Index is dropping. This statistic is calculated based on two factors:

- Monthly Units of Cargo Delivered x Delivery Distance: The amount of cargo you successfully deliver every month multiplied by the distance the cargo was delivered.

- Monthly Vehicle Profit/Loss: Positive cash flow with regard to your vehicles leads to a higher rating. Vehicles whose operating costs exceed their income detract from your rating.

Each of these factors accounts for 50% of you Performance Index. You can monitor these statistics and compare your statistics to those of other companies on the Companies List (see "Companies List" on page 82 for details).

The performance Index is calculated exponentially, so doubling the number of unitls of cargo you deliver every month doesn't necessarily double your rating. The higher your rating, the more difficult it is to increase the rating even further. In other words, expect large increases early in the game, and proportionally slower increases as the game progresses.

If you see your Performance Index dropping, check the profitability of you vehicles and cargo routes and eliminate those that are losing money. Also, check the supply and demand at various stations and passenger stops, and establish new cargo and passenger routes in areas that aren't adequately served.

Answer 2

In Chris Sawyer's Locomotion, the performance index is a measure of how efficiently your transport system is operating. It takes into account factors like speed, frequency, and capacity of your vehicles to give you a rating. A higher performance index means your transport system is operating more efficiently.