1942-8 solid rear drive axle?

[Flamed40]

Just disassembling a rear axle from a 42-8 pass car and when removed the torque tube and there is no coupling? The drive axle is solid all the way to the end past the speedo drive gear? What is it? Everything looked right until got to that point? Thought was odd that it had 40 brakes but assumed someone switched them? The torque tube has a reinforcement tube welded aound the tube were struts attach? It goes all around(maybe a splice)? I've done many of these over the years and never saw this? Haven't finished disassembling yet to see ration etc.