A process for making steel wear plates for use as railroad car truck side frame/bolster damping components utilizes the sequential steps of heating, pressing, quenching and then tempering. The heating process includes bringing the wear plate to a temperature of approximately 1750.degree. F. so that the plate is essentially 100 percent austenite. Generally uniform pressure is applied to the plate while heated to bring the plate to a desired flatness. Quenching fluid is thereafter applied to the flattened plate, while maintaining pressure thereon, to bring the plate to a predetermined brinnell hardness, a predetermined temperature, and a metallurgical characteristic of at least 90 percent martensite. The plate is thereafter tempered at a temperature of from 910.degree.-940.degree. F. for a period of time sufficient to bring the plate to a brinnell hardness less than the hardness after quenching.