(a) No railroad company operating trains in this state shall employ or allow in charge of any of its locomotives in this state, as a locomotive engineer (except locomotive engines used in yard service), any person who has not had at least three years' actual experience as a fireman or an engineer on a railway locomotive, or who has not served an apprenticeship of four years in a regular railroad machine shop and had in addition thereto one year's actual experience as a locomotive fireman.

(b) Any railroad company which violates this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.