Reading the other comments - I can answer all the questions.  Why am I able to do this?  Because I took the video!  It was stolen and posted here without my permission, name or website.  Check out "Actually Full Train" to see where it was stolen from.
     Nevertheless - a couple of answers:
     The video was taken in 1991, as its original title makes very clear: "Actually Full Train in 1991 (Why Flex Time is a Good Idea)".
     No, it was not an unusual situation - it was like that every day!  I know because I was usually one of those sardines myself!  (Some spots of the train tended to be slightly less crowded but you still had to force your way on).
     To whoever posted the video.  Please don't steal other people's material!  You're welcome to post it by using the code provided, which directs viewers to the site with the proper title, my name, and my website.  Just stealing it and posting it this way is wrong.

Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon

To add insult to injury, there is this bit of fiction posted at the site (under the inane title "Crowded Japanese train"):

"So you think your train or subway is often crowded? In Japan it's even worse, check out this video of a train departing during rush hour (6:30 AM)."

It wasn't taken at 6:30 - it was taken about an hour later than that, around 7:30 a.m.  The 6:30 trains were not nearly that crowded.  Remember, the reason it was so crowded is that it was before flex time and everyone needed to get to work by 9:00 a.m.  Of the course the thief wasn't there that day, or any other day, and doesn't care about accuracy....

And it gets worse - after stealing it from me, they have the gall to embed their bloody logo in it!  And then that stolen version is posted at this site:
http://www.lesmotsontunsens.com/sncf-fin-de-la-carte-famille-nombreuse-c-est-tant-mieux-video

I also e-mailed them this message:

To: copyright@snotr.com
Subject: Stolen Video "Actually Full Train"
Date: Friday, May 16, 2008

My video was stolen from this exact site:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5127313249780524359&hl=en

- and is now being displayed with no mention of where it came from at this site:
http://www.snotr.com/video/1051

I would like it either removed or linked to the proper site.

Thank you!

Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
Images Through Glass
Tokyo

Mattaku!!!  Have you seen my material popping up in other places without being attributed to me?  I'd appreciate any info.

Lyle (Hiroshi) Saxon
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~LLLtrs/
llletters@gmail.com