A rail retaining device has a shoulder member for bearing on a lateral side of a rail flange. The shoulder has a downwardly facing abutment surface. A rail clip is of bent rod symmetrical about a vertical plane. The clip has an inner portion bearing on the flange, intermediate limb portions reacting with the abutment surface and flexed resiliently downwardly in the installed position, and an outer portion connected to each intermediate limb portion and extending arcuately outwardly and downwardly to a lower portion adapted to bear on a bearing surface.