Thousands waved and cheered along the route as funeral train 4141 맥스카지노� for the 41st president 맥스카지노� carried George H.W. Bush맥스카지노�s remains toward their final resting place in Texas on Thursday, his last journey as a week of national remembrance took on a decidedly personal feel in an emotional home state farewell.Some people laid coins along the tracks that wound through small town Texas so a 420,000-pound locomotive pulling the nation맥스카지노�s first funeral train in nearly half a century could crunch them into souvenirs. Others snapped pictures or crowded for views so close that police helicopters overhead had to warn them back.The scenes reminiscent of a bygone era were a far cry from a serious and more somber tone at an earlier funeral service at a Houston church, where Bush맥스카지노�s former secretary of state and confidant for decades, James Baker, addressed him as 맥스카지노�jefe,맥스카지노� Spanish for 맥스카지노�boss.맥스카지노� At times choking back tears, Baker praised Bush as 맥스카지노�a beautiful human being맥스카지노� who had 맥스카지노�the courage of a warrior. But when the time came for prudence, he maintained the greater courage of a peacemaker.맥스카지노�Baker also provided a contrast with today맥스카지노�s divisive political rhetoric, saying that Bush맥스카지노�s 맥스카지노�wish for a kinder, gentler nation was not a cynical political slogan. It came honest and unguarded from his soul.맥스카지노�맥스카지노�The world became a better place because George Bush occupied the White House for four years,맥스카지노� said Baker.Following the funeral, as the motorcade carrying Bush맥스카지노�s remains sped down a closed highway from the church to the train station, construction workers on all levels of an unfinished building paused to watch, while a man sitting on a Ferris wheel near the aquarium in downtown Houston waved.Bush맥스카지노�s remains were later loaded onto a special train in a car fitted with clear sides so people could catch a glimpse of the casket as it rumbled by. The train traveled about 70 miles in two-plus hours 맥스카지노� the first presidential funeral train journey since Dwight D. Eisenhower맥스카지노�s remains went from Washington to his native Kansas 49 years ago 맥스카지노� to the family plot on the presidential library grounds at Texas A&M University. Bush맥스카지노�s final resting place is alongside his wife, Barbara, and Robin Bush, the daughter they lost to leukemia at age 3.In the town of Cypress, 55-year-old Doug Allen left eight coins on the tracks before the train passed 맥스카지노� three quarters, three dimes and two pennies. The train left the coins flattened and slightly discolored.맥스카지노�It맥스카지노�s something we맥스카지노�ll always keep,맥스카지노� Allen said. Andy Gordon, 38, took his 6-year-old daughter, Addison, out of school so she and her 3-year-old sister, Ashtyn, could see the train pass in Pinehurst, Texas.맥스카지노�Hopefully, my children will remember the significance and the meaning of today,맥스카지노� Gordon said. Addison was carrying two small American flags in her hand.At the funeral service in St. Martin맥스카지노�s Episcopal Church, where Bush and his family regularly worshipped in Houston, the choir sang 맥스카지노�This is My Country,맥스카지노� which was also sung at Bush맥스카지노�s presidential inauguration in 1989. Those gathered also heard a prayer stressing the importance of service and selflessness that the president himself offered for the country at the start of his term.There were rousing renditions of the 맥스카지노�Battle Hymn of the Republic맥스카지노� and 맥스카지노�Onward Christian Soldiers,맥스카지노� and also some of Bush맥스카지노�s country favorites. The Oak Ridge Boys recalled performing for him for decades 맥스카지노� sometimes at the White House 맥스카지노� and joked that Bush 맥스카지노�fancied himself to be a good bass singer. He was not.맥스카지노� They then sang 맥스카지노�Amazing Grace,맥스카지노� and Reba McEntire offered a musical version of 맥스카지노�The Lord맥스카지노�s Prayer.맥스카지노�Thursday맥스카지노�s flavor was distinctly Texas, unlike days of previous Washington celebrations that had more of a national feel. In place of most federal dignitaries were top Houston athletes including the NFL Texans맥스카지노� defensive end J.J. Watt 맥스카지노� displaying Bush맥스카지노�s love for sports 맥스카지노� and Chuck Norris, who played TV맥스카지노�s 맥스카지노�Walker, Texas Ranger.맥스카지노�Grandson George P. Bush, the only member of the political dynasty still holding elected office, as Texas land commissioner, used a eulogy to praise the man the younger generations called 맥스카지노�gampy.맥스카지노�맥스카지노�He left a simple, yet profound legacy to his children, to his grandchildren and to his country: service,맥스카지노� George P. Bush said.The church맥스카지노�s pastor, Rev. Russell Levenson Jr., recalled the Bushes often attending services and offering to give up their seats to others on days when the church was particularly crowded.맥스카지노�He was ready for heaven and heaven was ready for him,맥스카지노� Levenson said of Bush맥스카지노�s declining in health in recent years. He also suggested that when the former president died, he met his wife of 73 years in heaven and Barbara Bush playfully demanded 맥스카지노�What took you so long?맥스카지노�