we had SO much fun tearing into the back truck of Heisler #6's back truck, we decided to pull the middle truck too.
The middle truck is unique in that it not only has a gear set on the back axle, it also has a through shaft to transfer power to the rear truck.
All the rubber hoses are lube lines coming from the big mechanical lubricator in the cab.
In order to get power from the through drive shaft to the pinion shaft, there is a sealed gear box with a pair of straight cut gears. One gear is on the drive shaft, the other on the pinion shaft. You can see the filler plug on the gear case cover.
The main reason for this exercise is to clean the oil cellars and oil lines. In the past the State used some awful biodegradable oil in which the tackifier in the oil separated into nasty wax-like substance which plugs up all the oil holes and lube lines. The only way to get rid of the stuff is to take apart the lines, repack the cellars and rod out the oil passages.
Anyone want to buy 1/2 a tote of biodegradable nasty open bearing
oil goop?
.....I'll sell it real cheap.