§ 165. Steam and other railroads. 1. No person or corporation operating a steam or electric surface, subway or elevated railroad of thirty miles or more in length, wholly or partly within this state, except where the mileage system of running trains is in operation, shall permit or require a conductor, engineer, fireman, trainman, motorman or assistant motorman, engaged in or connected with the movement of any train on such railroad, to be or remain on duty for a longer period than sixteen consecutive hours. Whenever any such employee shall have been continuously on duty for sixteen hours he shall not be required or permitted again to go on duty until he has had at least ten consecutive hours off duty. No such employee who has been on duty sixteen hours in the aggregate in any twenty-four hour period shall be required or permitted to continue or again go on duty without having had at least eight consecutive hours off duty.

2. This section shall not apply to any such employee when he is prevented from reaching his terminal by casualty occurring after he has started on his trip or by accident to or unexpected delay of trains scheduled to make connection with the train on which he is serving, or when he is engaged in interstate commerce.