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Are you in DC or DCC? These sound like DCC problems, but could apply in DC as well. Your first problem is not dirty wheels, but sounds like a momentary short circuit. Try moving the engines very slowly, perhaps by just pushing them a bit, to the point where the sparks occur. You command station or circuit breaker should trip if you can make the short circuit last. If so, the back of a wheel (or wheels) are probably contacting the open point. Assuming you have other Peco turnouts without this problem, perhaps something got bent while in use on your bench. Check both closure rails (the part that moves), and the small contacts below the points that help conduct electricity when the points are closed (and should NOT contact the bottom of the adjacent outer rail when they're open). If the turnout seems fine, and this is the only engine shorting out, you could paint the backs of the wheels. It will wear off eventually, of course, but a couple of coats would probably last for quite a while. Another option is to isolate the turnout and direct power only to the closed rail. I have about a hundred Pecos, and have done this with all the medium and large ones, using the relays on my Tortoise switch machines. I had shorts with a couple of engines at the frog, where the two rails come together with only a tiny gap, and the wheels would momentarily touch both. Your second problem, with the Atlas might be dirty wheels and/or track, but sounds more like the engines are not picking up power from all wheels, or part of the turnout is electrically dead, or one part is a bit lower than the rest, so the wheels don't make good contact. I'm not familiar with the Atlas line, though, so there could be other things to look for. Good luck, and post your results here.
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