"oil and Waste" are old RR terms from the days of steam--the "Hogger" or Engineer would always have an oil can and grab hand fulls of rags from drums full of the stuff in the roundhouse at the start of the run--Steam engines are very dirty--sooty--etc--there is a need for rags(they use to wipe scoop shovels down and cook a meal on the shovel inside boiler--1901 King of the Hoboes in Britt was called "Scoop Shovel Shorty" known for his culinary abilities)-- having run a couple of Million miles on the RR and also worked on the UP 3985 -- I can tell you he "Clucked" to his firey (or iron steed as Milburn claims)--those old engines had to be talked to--because they talked right back to you!