A method of making a high strength head-hardened crane rail and the crane rail produced by the method. The method comprises the steps of providing a steel rail having a composition comprising, in weight percent: C 0.79-1.00%; Mn 0.40-1.00; Si 0.30-1.00; Cr 0.20-1.00; V 0.05-0.35; Ti 0.01-0.035; N 0.002 to 0.0150; and the remainder being predominantly iron. The steel rail is cooled from a temperature between about 700 and 800° C. at a cooling rate having an upper cooling rate boundary plot defined by an upper line connecting xy-coordinates (0 s, 800° C.), (40 s, 700° C.), and (140 s, 600° C.) and a lower cooling rate boundary plot defined by a lower line connecting xy-coordinates (0 s, 700° C.), (40 s, 600° C.), and (140 s, 500° C.).