A method of milling a profile of a railway rail comprises: rotating a milling cutter including a plurality of face mounted cutting inserts mounted about a periphery thereof, milling a railway rail with cutting edges of the cutting inserts rotating in a predetermined plane corresponding to at least a portion of a desired rail profile while controlling the depth of cut of the cutting inserts; traversing the railway rail with the milling cutter while milling the railway rail and controlling the speed of traverse of the milling cutter along the railway rail.