Hi all...a lull in the trip allows me to ask the subject question. I've read all about American's fears of being separated from their passports, but now it seems to be the Eurailpass that is held on to..sometimes until the last minute before you depart the train. I've asked nicely several times, only to be told...<name of arrival city)!! as the answer to when I'll get it back. Just wondering if anyone has had similar or worse luck, and what, if anything can be done to hold on to this wonderful document?

It's so that a ticket inspector can check the ticket without waking you. A night train may pass through more than one country and each country's railway need to check the ticket.

I've taken 4 multi-country overnight train trips using my Eurail pass and never had a conducter ask to keep it! In my experience they've never done more than give it the cursory glance and stamp. I guess I've just been lucky! What countries have you had this happen to you in?

IMO "luck" has nothing to do with it. I have yet to be on an overnight train on which the attendant either didn't keep a railpass and the passport or the passport and the rail ticket overnight for the reason stated above...in case they need to be checked in the middle of the night.

This procedure is much more convenient for the passenger, especially if they are sleeping in a couchette.

Occasionally, though, security/police may have to enter your compartment anyway. I was dozing in my private sleeper when about 6 am, there were knocks on the door and in came two fully armed guards and a German shepherd. They stayed only a few moments before moving on to the next compartment.

Never did find out who/what they were looking for.

If you spend an overnight journey sitting in a seat, you will be woken up if anyone wants to check your ticket or passport.
If you're in a couchette or sleeping berth, the attendant will keep your ticket overnight, and will keep the passport if you are crossing a border where there are passport checks.
Wherever you're sleeping on a train, the border police are entitled to check passengers and do occasionally have to enter a sleeping compartment. It's rare for this to happen, and it's even rarer for the police to have a dog but it does happen and it has happened to me (though the police wanted another passenger not me, and the dog was well behaved).

Thanks all, it was kind of as I thought. The countries have been Spain, France and Italy so far, and yes in a couchette. R

"Never did find out who/what they were looking for."

If the dog had alerted I bet you would have!

Last year I crossed about a dozen borders in couchettes and sleepers. Every time the conductor held my Eurailpass and my bunk reservation reservation until morning. One of them kept my passport even though I was traveling between two EU countries. Go with the flow.