Red Line Trains Slow Near Friendship Heights

Dear Dr. Gridlock:
All week, the Red Line trains have slowed to a near crawl from Bethesda to Friendship Heights. I've checked the Metro web site but it doesn't give any indication.

My first guess is that it's because of the recent derailment at Bethesda. But, the slow down is considerably closer to Friendship Heights than Bethesda. Besides, they spent what seemed like days fixing the broken track. Any word from Metro as to the cause and how long we can expect it to continue?
Curt Janota
Montgomery County

You know your trains. Yes, they have been running more slowly near Friendship Heights, because Metro discovered what spokesman Steven Taubenkibel describes as "a very minor defect in a location near the Friendship Heights station." It's not in the area where the rail defect caused two derailments by Bethsda Station and doesn't require an emergency fix and single tracking of trains. But until it does get fixed, trains are moving through there more slowly than normal.