A holddown assembly fastens a railway rail to a transversely extending hollow sleeper formed with a vertically throughgoing hole. An upwardly projecting lateral brace element is provided on the sleeper offset from the hole, and the assembly has a body fitted between the rail and the brace element and transversely bracing the rail against the brace element. An anchor of the assembly is engaged through the hole, projects upward from the sleeper, is transversely shiftable in the hole, and bears upward on the sleeper. A spring clip is pressed by the anchor down against the rail and presses the rail down against the metal sleeper.