Every railroad corporation, or receiver or lessee thereof, operating any line of railroad in this State by steam locomotives, shall equip all steam locomotives used or to be used in the hauling or propelling of trains over the railroad with a bell ringer apparatus or device which, when set in operation, will ring and continue to ring the locomotive bell automatically, and which is so constructed that it may be set in operation from either or both sides of the locomotive cab.
Any railroad company, receiver or lessee thereof, operating any line of railroad within this State by steam locomotives, violating this section shall be
punished by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) or more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each offense.