Common fuel rail fuel system for locomotive engine

An internal combustion engine comprising:

• a first bank of cylinders;
• a second bank of cylinders;
• a first common rail disposed proximate the first bank of cylinders;
• a second common rail disposed proximate the second bank of cylinders;
• a low pressure fuel supply;
• a plurality of high pressure fuel pumps receiving low pressure fuel from the low pressure fuel supply and providing high pressure fuel to at least one of the first common rail and the second common rail;
• a fuel flow control apparatus associated with each cylinder of the first bank for controlling a flow of fuel from the first common rail to the respective cylinder of the first bank;
• a fuel flow control apparatus associated with each cylinder of the second bank for controlling a flow of fuel from the second common rail to the respective cylinder of the second bank;
• and
• a fluid cross connection for conveyance of fuel between the first common rail and the second common rail;
• further comprising all of the high pressure pumps delivering fuel to the first common rail and the fluid cross connection delivering fuel from the first common rail to the second common rail.

A method of retrofitting a multi-bank, multi-cylinder, diesel locomotive engine to use a common rail fuel apparatus, the method comprising:

• installing a common rail proximate each bank of the engine;
• installing at least one high pressure fuel pump for delivery of high pressure fuel to a first of the rails;
• installing a fluid cross connection between the rails for delivery of high pressure fuel from the first of the rails to a second of the rails;
• delivering high pressure fuel to a fuel injection control apparatus associated with each respective cylinder of the engine from the common rail proximate the respective bank of cylinders.