Railway rail metallurgical developments are briefly reviewed historically to the present day. The development of pearlitic rail microstructure during rail production is examined, higher strength grades are described and the work-hardening of such structures examined. Welding of these rails is briefly described together with their joining to rail switches and crossings made from austenitic steel. also described are the changes in rail microstructure due to cyclic, compressive, rolling-sliding contact which lead to rolling contact fatigue and wear. new developments in rail microstructures are examined such as bainitic rail, high-carbon, hyper-eutectoid pearlitic rail and coated rail.