An investigation of different methods for deoxidising rail steel in the furnace and ladle, aimed at improving rail quality, is described. The influence of the various deoxidation methods on the nature and content of non-metallic inclusions and on rail metal properties, particularly impact toughness, was studied. It was found that modification of the metal with calcium, barium, or zirconium and addition of aluminium before FeSiCa in deoxidation gives metal containing fewer alumina inclusions.