Those buttons have the following meanings:
RESET - resets the search box (sets the dropdown box (Search in) to 'Name' and clears the keyword box).
SAVE - saves the search as a tab at the top of CMP.
APPLY - starts the search (once a search is entered (a selection from the drop-down box and a keyword in the keyword box (the keyword box doesn't appear for certain selections in the drop-down box)
This applies to versions of Trainz from TRS2006 onwards.
Shane