I don't know how Chicago would survive a nuclear exchange. They HAVE to be on the target list multiple times. As stated they are a communications hub for rail, a manufacturing center, there are refineries in East Chicago, it has a major military HQ (think civil defense and training at least in Soviet minds) and being the third largest population center at the time.
However, I think that being as spread out as the Chicago metropolitan area is, it would not all be destroyed. Firstly, the strikes on Chicago would problably be (or at least they should be to any planner worth their salt) air burst detonations, where there is nothing more than residual fallout from the bomb fragments proper as the fireball does not strike the earth surface. The targets for the area are 'soft' targets not needing ground bursts. You get more bang for the buck from air bursts against soft targets. That aside, there might be ONE ground burst to deny the reconstruction and salvage of the rail infastructure. There WOULD be fires and more fires. The radiant heat from a nucdet is immense and figure a 1 MT burst alone, the radius is quite a ways. from GZ.
The time of year however might affect the airburst i f not taken into consideration. IF there is snow cover and/or overcast conditions at time of burst, the reflective qualities these conditions would lessen the thermal effects of the burst.
So one if there is only one burst, say over the Belt Railway which is the largest of half dozen or more yards in Chicago during this era. I will say, contrary to any lasting physical damage is the chaos amoung the population. With over three million refugees into the surrounding country. Trying to get them back will be difficult to say the least (look at the aftermath of Katrina as a SMALL example).
This same scenario would follow in MOST cities targeted: Air burst.
(from someone who grew up during the cold war and lived in the midsts ot the largest concentration of the US nuclear arsenal. Joke of the time: If North Dakota left the Union, they would be the third largest nuclear power in the world. (and that still holds))
Grae
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