Abstract: A preheating mechanism for use with a duplex electric-arc furnace system is disclosed. The mechanism comprises a car travelling in a direction parallel to the straight line connecting the centers of the two furnaces, and a traversing car that is positioned above said first car and travels in a direction transversal to the direction in which said first car travels, said traversing car being capable of travelling over said first car in said transversal direction until it reaches a position where it overhangs either one of the two furnaces, said traversing car being provided with a raw material preheating combustor and a dust collecting hood in such a manner that each of said combustor and hood can be raised or lowered in the vertical direction.