Sights along the Qinghai Tibet Railway

There’s plenty to see just staring vacantly out of the window but the train passes some notable places and sights. The Mouth of the Yangtze River, Cuona Lake, Tanggula the world's highest railway station, Qinghai Lake, the Kunlun and Tanggula mountain ranges, the River and the Yellow River, the 1,338 m Fenghuoshan tunnel is the highest rail tunnel in the world, at 4,905 m above sea level.
As the Tibet Railway traverses three mountain ranges and many rivers and lakes on its way across 'the Roof of the World' (Qinghai-Tibet Plateau), the scenery is really breathtaking. While it’s claimed nine of the stations have special sightseeing platforms. I didn’t see where they were or if you have time to find them and take photos before the train heads off!
Along the 2,000 kilometer Lhasa to Xining section known as the Qingzang or Qinghai–Xizang railway and are nine world-class tourist sites; twenty-three nationally designated sites and ten national nature reserves. Rivers, lakes, grasslands, glacier and forests are scattered along the route inhabited by Tibetan antelope, yak, wild donkeys, cranes, mandarin ducks and swans.

As I took the Journey from Lhasa to Beijing the sights appear in that direction. I’ve added some times to give some indication when things will materialize.

Day 1

08.30 Depart Lhasa

09.30 Snow topped mountain range on the left. Plenty of Yaks about.
The 3,345-m Yangbajing tunnel is the longest tunnel on the line. It is 4,264 m above sea level, 80 kilometres north-west of Lhasa.

10.00 Yangpachen hot gases rising from natural outlets

12.00 Nakchu station is surrounded by the Qiangtang Plain a reserve where Tibetan yak, antelope, donkey, snow leopard and other animals are found.

13.20 Cuona Lake. The holy lake covers over 400 square kilometres and is the highest freshwater lake in the world. The train passes within 50m of the shore.
Tanggula Station at 5,068 meters is the highest railway station in the world.
Fell asleep!!!
Tanggula Pass. Border with Qinghai Province. Highest point of the train journey at 5,231m above sea level.
Kekexili, known as the 'unmanned area' and 'paradise for wild animals'

18.00 Toutou river the start of Yanztee River

20.30 Kunlun mountain Range, snow-covered Mt. Yuzhu and glacier even in summer. The Kunlun tunnel is the world's largest plateau tunnel

21.50-22.30 Golmund first stop.

23.00 Complete and total darkness outside

06.00 Qinghai Lake passes in darkness. The salt water lake is the largest in china with an area of 5,694 km² and 360 km in circumference.

Day 2

09.30 Xining

11.40 Yellow River. The train runs along side the heavily industrialised and mined river banks.

12.30 Lanzhou

16.30 Railway lines on stilts. Awesome mountain ranges and many small tunnels.

20.20 Xi’an

Day 3

07.30 Beijing West
Arriving at rush hour the queue for the taxis was vast and the traffic slow. I headed up and jumped on a bus for a couple of yuan and headed into the centre.