§ 194. Protection of employees. Every corporation operating a street surface railroad in this state, except such as operate a railroad or railroads either in the borough of Manhattan or Brooklyn, in the city of New York, shall cause the front and rear platforms of every passenger car propelled by electricity, cable or compressed air, operated on any division of such railroad which extends in or between towns or outside of city limits, during the months of December, January, February and March, except cars attached to the rear of other cars, to be inclosed from the fronts of the platforms to the fronts of the hoods, so as to afford protection to any person stationed by such corporation on such platforms to perform duties in connection with the operation of such cars. Every corporation or person using and operating a car in violation of this section shall be liable to a penalty of twenty-five dollars per day for each car so used and operated, to be collected in an action brought by the commission or commissioner having jurisdiction and to be paid into the treasury of the state of New York, or in a suit by the attorney of the municipality in which the violation of the provisions of this section occurs, to be paid into the treasury of such municipality.