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A ground-engaging track system for a machine includes a track extending about a rotatable track engaging element, and having a track chain with a plurality of elongate links each including an upper rail surface formed of a sacrificial wear material and having a convex longitudinal profile configured

A ground-engaging track system for a machine includes a track extending about a rotatable track engaging element, and having a track chain with a plurality of elongate links each including an upper rail surface formed of a sacrificial wear material and having a convex longitudinal profile configured to delay scallop formation therein. A link for a track chain and related methodology are also disclosed.

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1. A ground-engaging track system for a machine comprising: a rotatable track-engaging element;a track extending about the rotatable track-engaging element and including a first and a second track chain and a plurality of track shoes coupled with the first and second track chains;the first and secon

1. A ground-engaging track system for a machine comprising: a rotatable track-engaging element;a track extending about the rotatable track-engaging element and including a first and a second track chain and a plurality of track shoes coupled with the first and second track chains;the first and second track chains each including a plurality of elongate links each having an inboard side and an outboard side and defining a first and a second track pin bore communicating between the inboard and outboard sides; andeach of the plurality of elongate links further including a flat lower surface in contact with one of the plurality of track shoes, and an upper rail surface in contact with the rotatable track engaging element, the upper rail surface being formed of a sacrificial wear material and having a convex longitudinal profile configured to delay scallop formation in the upper rail surface resulting from the contact with the rotatable track engaging element, wherein each of the plurality of elongated links is S-shaped, such that the upper rail surface includes a center section extending between a first end section and a second end section that is laterally offset from the first end section, and wherein the convex longitudinal profile is formed by the center section, and each of the first and second end sections is flat and forms a linear longitudinal profile transitioning with the convex longitudinal profile. 2. The track system of claim 1, wherein the sacrificial wear material includes a hardened material, and wherein each of the plurality of elongated links further includes an unhardened material and the first and second tracking pin bores are defined by the unhardened material. 3. The track system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of elongated links further defines a first and a second window communicating between the inboard and outboard sides, and a first and a second bolting bore extending inwardly from the flat lower surface and intersecting the first and second windows, respectively, and further comprising bolts received within the bolting bores in each of the plurality of elongated links and attaching one of the plurality of track shoes to the corresponding elongated link. 4. The track system of claim 1, wherein the upper rail surface has a linear transverse profile in each of the first and second end sections and the center section. 5. The track system of claim 1, wherein the rotatable track-engaging element includes a first idler, and a second idler, a drive sprocket, and a plurality of track rollers, and wherein the track defines a travel path extending about the first and second idlers, the drive sprocket, and the plurality of track rollers, and wherein the first and second idlers and the drive sprocket have parallel axes of rotation arranged in a triangular pattern. 6. The track system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of elongated links in the first track chain are mirror images of the plurality of elongated links in the second track chain, and further comprising a plurality of track pins coupling together the first and second track chains, and a plurality of bushings positioned upon the plurality of track pins. 7. The track system of claim 5 wherein each of the first and second track pin bores defines a longitudinal axis, and a distance between the longitudinal axes is from about 100 mm to about 300 mm, wherein the center section of each of the upper rail surfaces includes a peak having an elevation relative to the corresponding first and second end sections from about 4 mm to about 12 mm, and wherein a vertical distance between the lower surface and the peak is from about 60 mm to about 240 mm. 8. A link for a track chain in a ground-engaging track system for a machine comprising: an elongate link body including an inboard side and an outboard side, and defining a first track pin bore formed in a first link body end and a second track pin bore formed in a second link body end, each of the first and second track pin bores communicating between the inboard and outboard sides and being configured to receive a track pin therein for coupling the elongate link body with another elongate link body in the track chain;the elongate link body further including a flat lower surface configured to contact a track shoe bolted to the elongate link body, and an upper rail surface configured to contact a rotatable track-engaging element in the track system; andthe upper rail surface being formed of a sacrificial wear material and having a convex longitudinal profile configured to delay scallop formation in the upper rail surface resulting from the contact with the rotatable track engaging element, wherein the elongated link body further defines a first and a second window each communicating between the inboard and outboard sides, and a first and a second bolting bore each extending inwardly from the lower surface and intersecting the first and second windows, respectively, wherein the upper rail surface further includes a first end section, a second end section, and a center section that forms the convex longitudinal profile and extending between the first and second end sections, and wherein the first and second end sections are flat, positioned in a common plane, and parallel to the lower surface. 9. The link of claim 8, wherein the elongate link body is S-shaped such that the first and second end sections are laterally offset from one another, and wherein the upper rail surface has a linear transverse profile within the first and second end sections and the center section. 10. The link of claim 9, wherein the elongated link body has a body length, and the center section defines a uniform radius of curvature greater than the body length. 11. The link of claim 10 wherein the uniform radius of curvature is from about 500 mm to about 1000 mm. 12. The link of claim 10, wherein the center section has a center section length and the first and second end sections have equal end section lengths, and the center section length being greater than a sum of the end section lengths, and the center section including a peak coincident with a longitudinal vertical centerline of the elongated link body. 13. The link of claim 9 wherein each of the first and second track pin bores defines a longitudinal axis, and a distance between the longitudinal axes is from about 100 mm to about 300 mm, wherein the center section of each of the upper rail surfaces includes a peak having an elevation relative to the corresponding first and second end sections from about 4 mm to about 12 mm, and wherein a vertical distance between the lower surface and the peak is from about 60 mm to about 240 mm. 14. The link of claim 13 wherein the elevation is about 5 mm, and the distance between the lower surface and the peak is about 190 mm. 15. A method of operating a ground-engaging track system for a machine comprising the steps of: advancing a track of the ground-engaging track system about a plurality of rotatable track-engaging elements;moving links in first and second track chains of the track into engagement with one of the plurality of rotatable track-engaging elements via the advancement, such that upper rail surfaces of the links each having a convex longitudinal profile in contact with the one of the plurality of rotatable track-engagement elements, wherein each of the links is S-shaped, such that each of the upper rail surface includes a center section extending between a first end section and a second end section that is laterally offset from the first end section, and wherein the convex longitudinal profile is formed by the center section, and each of the first and second end sections is flat and forms a linear longitudinal profile transitioning with the convex longitudinal profile; andwearing away a sacrificial wear material of the links formed in the upper rail surfaces in a non-scalloping wear pattern. 16. A track chain comprising: a plurality of elongate links each having an inboard side and an outboard side, wherein each of the plurality of elongate links further including a flat lower surface in contact with one of a plurality of track shoes, and an upper rail surface configured to contact a plurality of rotatable track engaging elements on a machine,wherein the upper rail surface being formed of a sacrificial wear material and having a convex longitudinal profile formed in a center portion, the center portion extending between a first end section and a second end section, and wherein each of the first and second end sections is flat and forms a linear longitudinal profile transitioning with the convex longitudinal profile. 17. A track chain comprising: a plurality of elongate links each having an inboard side and an outboard side, wherein each of the plurality of elongate links further including a lower surface in contact with one of a plurality of track shoes, and an upper rail surface configured to contact a plurality of rotatable track engaging elements on a machine,the upper rail surface being formed of a sacrificial wear material and having a convex longitudinal profile formed in a center portion, the center portion extending between a first end section and a second end section, and wherein each of the first and second end sections of the upper rail surface is substantially flat.