hammer means 75 by operation of the control mechanism 85 causes another section of the rail 21 to be severed the cooperation of the curved surface of the ram 80 and the positioning of the ram path defined by the slots 31 32 serve to maintain the ram essentially perpendicular to the rail 21 throughout the initial bending and final serving of the rail this is an important feature of the present invention referring now to fig7 9 of the drawings there is illustrated a second embodiment 120 of the apparatus previously discussed which embodiment includes a sled 125 having spaced apart parallel l shaped side frame members 126 and 127 each of the frame members being provided with registered apertures 128 near the leg of the l shaped frame members and 129 near the upper front end of the frame members the sled 125 is provided with spaced apart foot plates 136 and 137 each connected by suitable welds respectively to the sled side frame members 126 and 127 the foot plates 136 137 are adapted to slide along the top surfaces 23 of the railroad ties 22 during movement of the sled 125 therealong each of the foot plates 136 137 is respectively provided with an upturned end 138 139 respectively to facilitate the sliding action of the sled 125 along the top surfaces 23 of the railroad ties 22 bracing members 141 and 142 of the same geometry and configuration as the bracing members 41 and 42 previously disclosed serve to strengthen the sled 125 a rail channel 150 through which the rail 21 is transported is defined by side frame members 126 127 and a bottom rail channel plate 145 fixedly secured to the side.