Abstract: A cooling bed for rails (3) with an apparatus (12) which is intended for transferring the rails (3) onto the cooling bed (1) from an infeeding roller table (2) and is set up to bend the rails (3) counter to the bending which they undergo during cooling is constructed as follows:Said apparatus (12) has supports (25) which can be raised and lowered, can be displaced into the cooling bed (1) from the roller table (2) and are intended for the rails (3). In each case one abutment which is directed towards the underside of the rail foot and one abutment which is directed towards the top side of the rail foot are arranged on supports (25). The displacement paths of the supports (25) are controlled in accordance with the desired bending. The front abutment (37), as seen in the direction of displacement, can be let down into the support (25) by pivoting forwards and downwards.