A concrete rail tie has an elongated tie body made of a first concrete material. The elongated tie body has an elongated top surface having a shaped profile. A preformed rail seat crown made of a second concrete material is embedded in the elongated tie body and disposed at a rail seat location of the elongated tie body. The preformed rail seat crown has top side flush with and shaped to match the shaped profile of the elongated top surface of the elongated tie body. And the second concrete material has a greater compressive strength and a greater flexural strength than the first concrete material.