ha ul ▁when ▁her ▁out dated ▁comp ound ▁engine ▁was ▁replaced ▁by ▁a ▁new ▁triple - exp ansion ▁engine ▁supplied ▁by ▁the ▁original ▁builder , ▁William ▁Cr amp ▁& ▁S ons . ▁The ▁new ▁engine ▁was ▁smaller , ▁allowing ▁for ▁more ▁cargo ▁space , ▁and ▁was ▁more ▁econom ical ▁to ▁run . ▁By ▁this ▁time , ▁the ▁ship ▁was ▁beginning ▁to ▁show ▁her ▁age ▁in ▁comparison ▁with ▁newer ▁and ▁more ▁modern ▁vessels , ▁and ▁she ▁no ▁longer ▁carried ▁first ▁class ▁passengers . ▁In ▁the ▁same ▁year , ▁the ▁ship ▁was ▁switched ▁to ▁the ▁less ▁important ▁Ant werp - Ph il adel phia ▁route , ▁which ▁she ▁maintained ▁until ▁ 1 8 9 8 , ▁making ▁her ▁last ▁trans at l antic ▁crossing ▁that ▁year . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 8 9 0 s , ▁the ▁Al ask an ▁gold ▁r ush ▁created ▁a ▁demand ▁for ▁American - flag ged ▁ships . ▁The ▁American ▁Line ▁took ▁advantage ▁of ▁this ▁demand ▁to ▁sell ▁three ▁of ▁the ▁age ing ▁Pennsylvania ▁class ▁vessels , ▁including ▁Pennsylvania , ▁at ▁a ▁prem ium . ▁On ▁April ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 1 8 9 8 , ▁Pennsylvania ▁sa iled ▁from ▁Philadelphia ▁to ▁San ▁Francisco ▁on ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Ocean , ▁where ▁she ▁was ▁sold ▁to ▁the ▁Empire ▁Line ▁for ▁service ▁on ▁the ▁Seattle - N ome ▁route . ▁Short ly ▁there after , ▁she ▁was ▁requ is ition ed ▁by ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Navy ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁a ▁tro op ship ▁during ▁the ▁Spanish – American