In order to be able to use a railway-track element (10) not only for normal track but also for points, the invention proposes the use of a vacuum-treated steel containing at least 0.53 to 0.62 % C, 0.65 to 1.1 % Mn, 0.8 to 1.3 % Cr, 0.05 to 0.11 % Mo, 0.05 to 0.11 % V and « 0.02 % P, the balance being iron plus the usual production-related impurities. The track element (10) is in the form of a rail made of rolled pearlitic steel. If the track element is to be used for points, the starting material is a length of rolled rail with a martensitic structure produced by heat treatment at least in the rail head area (16).