Why did Baba make his devotees travel in a crowded, uncomfortable second-class train? Doesn't that seem unnecessarily harsh?

The text from Chapter 51 does not suggest that Baba intended for his devotees to have an uncomfortable journey. In fact, it illustrates the opposite. Madhavrao and Dixit initially found the second-class compartment "packed to capacity" and were gripped with "deep worry." They even considered delaying their trip. However, Baba's grace intervened in an unexpected way. As detailed in Chapter 51, a train guard, who happened to be an acquaintance of Dixit, "suddenly appeared" and arranged for them to travel comfortably in first class. This event is presented not as a test of endurance but as another instance of Sai's timely help and fulfillment of His devotee's needs, turning a potential hardship into a happy journey.